I can say with certainty that without the Centrum blues festival I would never have continued singing.

Christina “TeenyDeets” Dietz, Age 24, Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Participant since 2014, Musician, Teacher, Aspiring Horticulturalist

Back in 2014, I was 21 years old and lived in Chimacum, Washington. I was someone who felt lost, over-worked, underfed.

A friend told me about the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival at Centrum. I hadn’t been singing in public for years at that point, and I was nervous about going.

When I arrived, I saw people from all over the country—and world for that matter—not just sitting in classrooms, but up on porches, on railings, in the grass and on top of picnic tables with instruments in their hands!

As I walked closer, sounds floated to my ears: laughter, trickles of guitar playing and feet stomping.

I mean this to my core—I met family when I strolled into the park to play at Centrum that week.

As a singer first and foremost, I can say with certainty that without the Centrum blues festival I would never have continued singing, and sure wouldn’t be the singer I am today. Singing in any professional capacity was a dream I’d forgotten about.

I reconnected with my soul that week at Centrum.

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