It’s true, after nineteen years, the Pocono Blues Festival is over.

Jack Frost Big Boulder, the company that owns the ski resort where the Pocono Blues Festival has been held and who has run the Festival, has announced that the Festival is now canceled. They have also let go Michael Cloeren, who has managed the festival. The 2011 Pocono Blues Festival would have been its twentieth year. In its press release, JFBB did not specifically address the future of the Mount Snow Blues Festival, held in Vermont in August, which is owned and run by the same company as Jack Frost Big Boulder, but the company has pulled the content from that festival’s page on the Mount Snow Web site and from it’s online calendar. Since Michael Cloeren also ran that festival for the company and it would seem that it will also be canceled after its second year.

Michael Cloeren received the Keeping The Blues Alive Award for promoters in 1996 for his work with the Pocono Blues Festival. The Festival was one of the major blues festivals in the country and was an annual pilgrimage for many blues fans.

Here is the press release from the company:

JFBB Restructures Summer Operations

It is with regret that JFBB announces the cancellation of all off-season festivals including The Pocono Blues Festival at Big Boulder, scheduled for July 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2011 and The Arts and Crafts Show scheduled October 8th and 9th, 2011.

Due to the current economic landscape, Peak Resorts felt the need to re-structure the current operation and focus on the primary business of winter sports.

JFBB is reluctant to cancel both the 20th Annual Pocono Blues Festival at Big Boulder and the 40th Arts and Crafts Festival at Jack Frost, but will not sacrifice the quality and integrity of the events by cutting corners as drastically as would be required.

Organizers gratefully acknowledge the annual support and participation of the local businesses, organizations and individuals, as well as vendors, performers and of course, our loyal customers.

We’ll see you on the slopes!

JFBB Staff