Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival Raises $30K

isn't just about great food, drinks and an all-star cast of musicians. The concert also helps to raise money for local charities.

In May, the 15th annual Bay Blues Festival helped raise $30,000 for local charities, according to a release issued this week. However, the amount raised was referred to as, "somewhat disappointing" by festival staff in the release.

According to the festival website, more than $900,000 has been raised since the event began in 1998.

"Although the income was somewhat disappointing, we are still pleased that we were able to make contributions to these worthwhile causes," the release stated. "Next year, we will be looking for ways to better control expenses including looking for a different venue."

Charities that benefitted from this year's festival include:

• We Care and Friends
• End Hunger in Calvert County
• The Johns Hopkins Cleft & Craniofacial Center
• Special Love

Since 1998, some of the world's best blues musicians have gathered at  to jam out by the beach in one of the county's biggest concerts. This year's two-day festival featured .

Click here for a video from this year's festival.

Festival staff also are working with the state Department of Natural Resources to ensure they can keep Sandy Point State Park as the concert's venue. However, they said they are also exploring other options, "both inside and outside of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County," as a cost-savings measure.

Fans of the festival's Facebook page urged the staff to stay at its traditional Anne Arundel County location.

"One of the reasons we come to the blues festival is that we get to stay in Annapolis which we love...don't move it!"—Mary Pellecchia Palmer 

"Hopefully you can still remain at Sandy Point. I've been coming to the Blues Festival from the very 1st year."—Serena Jinn Boyd 

"Hope you can stay at Sandy Point, love the setting. Hope we can boost the fundraising, maybe add some other raffle items? Love your festival, I come down from Massachusetts every year for it, kicks off my blues festival season!"—James F Peters