Volunteering to work at the Kalamazoo Blues Festival is an excellent opportunity to meet new friends, reacquaint youself with old friends, and show attendees some good old-fashioned hospitality: Kalamazoo-style! For many of our volunteers, the Kalamazoo Blues Festival has become a yearly labor of love. It is also quite easy to do and we suggest you get your form in soon so you can have the best picks for jobs and times. Look over the positions; in most cases training is provided before you go on shift. Be sure to bring your smile because you'll be using it a lot!

If you want to work with someone you know, make sure you identify your partner on the volunteer form. It is best if you send both in at the same time. We will do our best to honor all first choice requests but you must understand that nothing can be guaranteed. All requests will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Special consideration may be granted for special skills and experiences. You will receive a post card or a phone call to confirm your volunteer assignment(s).

As always, the Kalamazoo Blues Festival has rather demanding needs in the areas of setting up and tearing down. Volunteers are needed who have carpentry and/or construction skills and who can lift, move, and carry heavy equipment - this may involve stenuous work so volunteers in this area should not be limited in their ability to perform these tasks.


Set-up for the festival will begin at 6:00 PM on July 9 (that is Wednesday evening) at the Arcadia Festival Place. There is a LOT to be done so bring willing hands. Tearing down the festival actually begins right after the last act performs but the official tear-down will begin at 9:00 AM on July 13 (that is Sunday morning). Tear-down is a challenge: making a mess is sure a lot easier than cleaning it up! The more hands the better.