Midwinter got you down? Well, here’s something that gives new meaning to wintertime blues — Calgary’s Midwinter Blues Festival, running through February 28 at venues all over the city. The festival is the brainchild of the Calgary Blues Music Association, the same people behind the summer Calgary Blues Festival. Producers Maurice Ginzer and Cindy Macleod’s vision for the festival is also their vision for Calgary’s blues community.

“When we started with the blues festival in general as an organization, blues lived primarily in the clubs,” Macleod says, “so we’re trying to make it accessible to families, and, while still supporting our club brethren, we’re trying to bring it out into the community and make it accessible to everybody.”

Since its launch last year, this midwinter gig has already established an international reputation. It pulled in a wider audience than most blues events in the city and recognized many of the best Canadian blues artists currently working. Not bad for a festival that’s only been around for 12 months.

“People come here from Texas, for example,” says MacLeod. “Last year, Buckwheat Zydeco just could not get over the warmth that he was received with, saying ‘Wow, there’s a real scene up here in Canada!’ We’re always looking for a real mixture of fresh new faces, unseen as well as some of the great veterans, like Hubert Sumlin last year, and some of the more decorated veterans in the business.”

The fest also named its second round of Blues Hall of Fame awards this week. These awards recognize the best in the regional blues community, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to fostering blues in Calgary. It’s done that again this year — guitarist of the year Johnny V is Calgarian. So are drummer of the year Donald Ray Johnson, harmonica player of the year Richie Pollack and keyboardist of the year Bill Dowey.

The international artists and local focus have certainly helped make the festival a success, but there is another crucial component. “We are a volunteer-run organization, and these people have been there all along for the blues community,” Cindy explains. “They have been kind of overlooked in the big picture — everybody talks clubs and musicians and everything else — but it wouldn’t exist without this incredible family that supports the art form. It’s these people that are making it happen. We’re so lucky.”