It happened! It took place! And it succeeded!
It spread across the country to a favourable reception, even though...
The organisers were worried about attendance at the final concert until the very end, which was justified for financial reasons, since Polish blues stars had agreed to come for a specified fee.
The event was promoted throughout Lower Silesia in order to create an alternative form of recreation for young people (participation in music workshops, taking advantage of the city's tourist and recreational attractions, and participation in an overnight blues marathon). The organisers, namely the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre, also hoped to popularise it not only among blues fans, but also through the mass media, which mentioned the event. The costs of this undertaking were not small. The aim of this year's event, the first on such a large scale, was to conclude it without losses.
And that is what happened. There were no financial losses. This was partly thanks to the understanding of the problem shown by:
The municipal authorities, which subsidised the artistic workshops—a week-long course for young musicians led by the best in the country: Leszek Cichoński (author of “Szkoła na gitarę”), Andrzej Pluszcz (head of the Wrocław PSJ), Jerzy Piotrowski (drummer in leading Polish bands), and Jerzy Styczyński (guitarist of the famous DŻEM).
The sponsors: Przedsiębiorstwo Handlowe JARTUR, Ubojnia Drobiu i Zwierząt HAGRA in Zebrzydowa, Prywatna Przychodnia Stomatologiczna STOMADENT, Wytwórnia Lodów LAS VEGAS, Wylęgarnia Kur STACHÓW, Przedsiębiorstwo Produkcyjno-Handlowe RULIMPEX, PHU “BOLKO”, PPUH “LUMEX”. Restauracja “SAWANNA”, Kawiarnia “PEGAZ”, and the wholesalers: “HANAPOL”, “HEMAX”, “MAX”, “PREMIER”, as well as the Screen Printing Studio of S. ZAPAŁA.
And everyone who responded kindly to the event by supporting the organisers, namely: Zbigniew Wolański, who prepared the Boulevard on the Bóbr free of charge for the event; Mr and Mrs Piwowarczyk (neighbours of the Amphitheatre), who provided a high-capacity electricity supply during the concert; the professional and active-duty soldiers of JW 1259, who worked on the final concert alongside the organisers; and Przedsiębiorstwo STALBUD, which, together with Military Units 1259 and 4355, took care of concreting the Amphitheatre.
- MZK, which provided event participants and holders of passes for the final concert with free bus tickets, and MOSiR with accommodation at the hotel at a 50-percent discount.
- The people who worked voluntarily during the concert, and the viewers who bought tickets to the concert, understanding the cost-related problems of the event, which was recorded by Wrocław television and broadcast by Radio Wrocław.
The participants in this undertaking rated it very highly as artistically valuable, well organised, and creating a good atmosphere of entertainment not only for young people. People “from Poland” were astonished that such a large event was organised by BOK through “community efforts”.
The concert featured: two Combo bands (that is, the 12 best musicians selected from the 48-person group of workshop participants), Blues 66, Swawolny Dyzio, Jan Skrzek, Nocna Zmiana Bluesa, Dżem, and two Bolesławiec bands: De Facto Blues Band and Obstawa Prezydenta. The concert was hosted by Janusz Kosiński himself. The Amphitheatre proved to be an excellent venue for an eight-hour blues marathon.
Can Bolesławiec become a city known throughout the country for Blues nad Bobrem? Most certainly. It deserves to be. The actions of many well-intentioned people bear witness to this.
P.S. We apologise to BOK's neighbours for the inconvenience during the workshops.