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Spring is here and that means one thing in Beaufort: the 26th annual Beaufort Music Festival is right around the corner. For many years, the BMF has been located on Front Street in downtown Beaufort. This year, however, some exciting changes will bring a new atmosphere to the festival on May 9th and 10th, similar to that experienced at other music festivals across the nation. The BMF strives to bring locals and visitors alike to listen to live music in the great town of Beaufort, and these changes will help that happen.

The move away from Front Street was not an easy decision � most people live or stay downtown and love the downtown atmosphere. However, the festival�s successes in previous years have caused it to outgrow the Front Street site.

While Saturday�s main festival will make the move, the festival committee is striving to preserve the tradition of a downtown festival. On Friday, May 9, free music will be offered downtown through a partnership with the Beaufort Business Association, which will help bring people to town for the weekend, one of the goals of the festival. Music for Friday night will feature local talent, Kudubai and The Spread, along with what critics are calling one of the hottest new bands out of Birmingham, Alabama, St. Paul and the Broken Bones.

On Saturday, May 10, the BMF is excited to partner with the Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum and present music at their Gallants Channel site. The Maritime Museum has a good track record of producing events similar to this, and the Gallants Channel site was a logical choice for this move. As mentioned, the BMF has been growing year after year and, to maintain this growth, the festival needed to find more space. Offerings at Gallants Channel will include diverse and exciting local food and art vendors, grassy areas for Frisbees and blankets, a beautiful waterfront view and a large family and kid�s area sponsored by Oceanside Pediatrics. This special family and kid�s area will be manned by teachers and volunteers from Tiller School and Beaufort Elementary School. In appreciation of their help and support, both schools will receive a portion of the BMF ticket sales. Tickets for Saturday�s event are $20 in advance and $25 on Saturday, May 10; a link for tickets is available on the Beaufort Music Festival website, or search �Beaufort Music Festival� on Etix.com.