The Blues Foundation, based in Memphis, will honor 15 individuals and organizations with its 2013 Keeping the Blues Alive awards during a recognition luncheon Feb. 1.

The foundation presents the awards each year to those who have made significant contributions to blues music. The ceremony in Memphis will be held in conjunction with the 29th International Blues Challenge, which begins Jan. 29 and features the final rounds of the world's largest and most prestigious blues music competition.

And now the local angle: The Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival, held for the past few years at the Deming Logging Show grounds, is the winner in the United States category, joining such other winners as the Colorado Blues Society, the Festival International du Blues De Tremblant in Quebec, and Bob Margolin and Vicente Zumel.

Here are the reasons the Mount Baker festival won, according to the Blues Foundation website, and, if you've ever attended the weekend bash, you'll agree:

"Since 1995, this festival has been a major stop in the Northwest corner of Washington for world-class blues acts and adoring fans. For the first decade, the festival was held on a private Christmas tree farm. After 10 years of growth, the festival moved to the 180-acre Deming Logging Show Fairgrounds and instantly created the vibe that is still evident today.

"Nearly every major blues act, including Pinetop Perkins, Johnny Winter, Hubert Sumlin, Curtis Salgado, Janiva Magness, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop and many, many others have excited these Northwest crowds. In addition to providing music to its community, the festival has also raised and donated over $70,000 to aid those in need in the community."

If you want to join festival founder Lloyd Peterson at the awards ceremony, you can purchase tickets online at blues.org, or call 901-527-2583.

Lloyd is already planning next summer's lineup for Aug. 2-3, which includes: Shane Dwight & Bekka Bramlett, Trampled Under Foot, Kal David & The Real Deal, Hamilton Loomis, Anthony Gomes, The Wired Band, The Fat Tones, Chris Eger Band, Blues Redemption, Ayron Jones & The Way, John Stephan and Gary B's Church of the Blues. For festival details, see bakerblues.com.

WWU CLASS TEACHES HOW-TO OF TV, MOVIES

Western Washington University's Extended Education program is offering a class to learn how movies and television are made, from director and writer R.W. Goodwin, executive producer of the TV series "The X-Files." The class is called "How to Make a Movie (from A to Z.)."

Goodwin and Western faculty member Patrick Dizney will co-teach the class Tuesday and Thursday afternoons beginning Jan. 8. The class will offer a step-by-step exploration of the creation, production and post-production processes involved in the making of film and television.

The class is open to WWU students and community members. Participants will collaborate to prepare and produce their own narrative short film.

People can register online at this acadweb.wwu.edu webpage.

TIM MCHUGH RELEASES ANTI-WAR SONG IN VIDEO

Tim McHugh let me know that he recently wrote an anti-war song, "Not in My Name Anymore," choreographed and produced, he says, "as a hard-hitting video." He says the song is inspired and dedicated first and foremost to children and civilians of war-torn countries and is particularly relevant to what's taking place in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Israel, if not all countries strafed by war and conflict. As a father, he says he feels "compelled to speak out against the madness and suffering."

To see the video, go to YouTube.com and search for "Tim McHugh Not In My Name Anymore."

He also encourages people to visit his website - timmchugh.net - about his upcoming release, "Beyond This Divide," due out in 2013.

Reach MARGARET BIKMAN at margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2273.