A Sad Note That Conquered the World: How and Why International Blues Music Day Is CelebratedThere are days in the musical calendar dedicated to pop music, rock, and jazz. But there is one special celebration — the International Blues Music Day. It is not tied to a specific date and is celebrated on the first Saturday of every August. In 2026, it falls on August 1st. On this day, all over the world — from tiny jazz clubs to huge festival stages — the same «soul music» that was born more than a hundred years ago on the plantations of the American South and became a language understood without translation over several decades — is played. Where did this celebration come from? Why is the blues still relevant? And how is it celebrated in different parts of the planet?The Origins of the Celebration: A Petition That Gave the World Blues DayUnlike many ancient celebrations, the International Blues Music Day has an exact birth date and even a specific author of the idea. That person was the famous musician Johnny Childs, the president of the New York Blues Association. On August 17, 2011, he launched an online petition calling for the establishment of a special day in honor of the blues.Surprisingly, the idea resonated with the sentiments of thousands of people all over the world. The petition was signed by more than 15,000 people — musicians, fans, historians, educators, and simply enthusiasts. In just a few months, the online community grew to tens of thousands of participants from different countries. It was decided that the International Blues Music Day would be celebrated on the first Saturday of August.The first official celebration took place on August 3, 2013. It concluded with a grand concert in New York featuring the best blues performers. Since then, the tradition has not been interrupted: every year, on the first Saturday of August, blues lovers all over the world pay tribute to this unique genre. And the main goal of the celebration is formulated clearly and suc ... Read more