On Sunday, March 9, 2025, Houstonians gathered near the banks of Sims Bayou for an afternoon of fun and to celebrate the beginning of bluebonnet season at the Houston Botanic Garden’s Bayou Blues Festival Presented by BKV Energy. Festivities throughout the day included live music performances curated by award-winning blues singer and Houstonian Annika Chambers, a market featuring local vendors, games, face painting and a photo opportunity in front of the Garden’s bluebonnet field.
New Sponsorship Powers Second Annual Bayou Blues Festival
CHALLENGE
When Like Minds approached BKV Energy with the idea of a sponsorship for the second annual Bayou Blues Festival, the team was immediately enthusiastic. Supporting the festival would align with the company’s mission of providing gimmick-free electricity that puts Texans' needs first and its commitment to investing in crucial green spaces. Once the sponsorship was locked in with the Houston Botanic Garden for the festival, it was essential to ensure that BKV Energy was integrated in communications outreach and received visible recognition across marketing materials. As such, Like Minds was tasked with amplifying media relations efforts to secure coverage from local and regional outlets in advance of the festival.
STRATEGY
Like Minds worked in collaboration with the Houston Botanic Garden to develop a thorough communications strategy blending media relations, community relations and traditional marketing. The goal was to increase brand awareness for the Houston Botanic Garden and BKV Energy as well as encourage attendance to the Bayou Blues Festival. Pitching for the event was executed based on a highly curated list of media targets across television, radio and digital platforms.
RESULTS
A key win for Like Minds was successfully securing coverage on nearly all of the local broadcast stations, ABC 13, CW39, KHOU11 (on-air mention), KPRC2 and Telemundo Houston (on-air mention). Additionally, the event was featured in the Houston Chronicle, Littles on the Go, Jill B. Jarvis, 365 Things To Do in Houston, Mommy Poppins and more.
Thanks to the wonderful partnerships between Like Minds, BKV Energy and Houston Botanic Garden, thousands of Houston families were able to create memorable moments at this year’s Bayou Blues Festival while also developing a deeper appreciation for and connection with nature.