People from throughout Mid-Missouri flocked to Memorial Park on Sunday for the 20th annual live music event that raises money to teach school children about blues music.
Blue Sunday featured three area blues bands - Baub Eis Band, Griff 'n Greens and Blue Highway - and drew more than 200 people.
"I love blues and I want to support Blues in the Schools. A lot of people don't know about it," Howard Christian said.
The Mexico, Missouri, resident just got back from a Colorado blues music event. He travels to Memphis and other cities around the Midwest to watch live blues.
Jennie Crum, president of the Mo Blues Association, said the event typically raises $500-$600. That money, along with funds raised from the organization's two other annual fundraisers all go to the association's Blues in the Schools program.
The program brings in accomplished blues musicians such as Fruteland Jackson of Chicago to local schools. He engages the kids, giving them harmonicas to play along with him, while also teaching them about the music.
Crum said the goal is to preserve the music and its culture for future generations.
"It's the root of music," she said. "It teaches kids where the music came from. Slaves in fields would sing (blues) while they worked."
Ben Green of Griff 'n Greens said he volunteered to play at the event because of his love for blues music and as a way to share it with others.
"I love people getting together and enjoying music together. Jefferson City's good for that. There's a lot more happening (here) than when I first started, but Mo Blues has been one thing that's been around since I've come here."
Green is also a solo blues man. In 2013, the Mo Blues Association entered his album "Can't Live Without 'Em," in the International Blues Challenge, where it placed in the top 25 of more then 600 entries from around the world.
"I just love music," he said. "It's probably the biggest thing to me in the world next to just family and taking care of each other. Music is the one key that kind of connects us all."