DAHLONEGA — Rainy weather didn't stop blues fans from coming to Lumpkin county to enjoy a day and night of blues music.
The first Georgia Bluesfest 2010 took place at the R-Ranch in the Mountains resort all day Saturday.
"We're getting wet and enjoying the blues," said Brian Bosarge, promoter of the event.
The festival included different musicians from all over the region. Guitar legend Johnny Winter and James Cotton were the headline musicians.
"We brought nothing but top-notch people here today," Bosarge said.
Among the bands performing at Bluesfest were Blind Five O, Men in Blues, Fat Momma Band, Robert Lee Coleman, Reverb-O-Rockets, Sammy Blue Band and WSNB.
The festival was planned rain or shine. Even with a morning of heavy rain, many people came out to enjoy the music.
"We got some great bands," Bosarge said. "We got the music going and having a great time."
Along with the music, there was a raffle for a guitar signed by Winter, with proceeds to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Bosarge said that as the day went on and the weather improved, organizers anticipated a great turnout.
"We'll get a good crowd," Bosarge said.
Several people were in attendance as the first band, Men in Blues, performed.
"We love blues," said Chet Warner of Cumming, attending with his wife, Sandy.
They both had seen Men in Blues live before and said that music was "very good." They planned to stay for the whole day.
Mike and Melissa Summerlin, also of Cumming, both had seen one of the bands, Robert Lee Coleman, performing Friday night at Corkscrew Cafe.
"We love blues, and we heard about this event last night at Corkscrew in Dahlonega," Mike Summerlin said. "Robert was playing, and he said ‘If you like this, you got to come out.'"
"We originally are from Mississippi," Melissa Summerlin said. "We grew up listening to the blues."
Mitch and Michele Bramlett of Flowery Branch came to the festival with their friend, Brenda Steele, who was one of the vendors selling jewelry.
"We came out to listen to some good music," Mitch Bramlett said.
Bosarge said several sponsors that contacted him about the festival and based on this year's success, it could become a yearly tradition.
"I want to make this an annual event," Bosarge said. "We think we can turn it into something."
Bosarge said the reason he started this was to showcase the blues and help bring more people to this genre of music.
"I've always loved the blues," Borsage said. "No one else is doing this."
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Ian Nathanson and Danny Miller in the photo captions.