Two Burnaby hotels are giving back to the community by providing complimentary rooms to recording artists and those involved in the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival.

The hotels have also booked local blues acts to play in their entertainment venues during Burnaby Blues Week leading up to the festival, which is on Saturday, Aug. 14.

The new Delta Burnaby Hotel has turned over 20 comped room nights for the festival to the City of Burnaby, according to Matthew Ballesty, the executive general manager of the Grand Villa Casino.

The casino includes the Delta Burnaby Hotel, and the Scala Lounge and Ebo Restaurant, where British Columbian blues musicians will play in advance of the festival.

"We're trying our best to be as involved as possible," Ballesty said.

Because of the hotel's proximity to Deer Lake Park, it made sense to provide accommodations to musicians and those involved with the festival, he said.

Providing a place for musicians to play also feels in line with what Grand Villa is about, according to Ballesty.

"Entertainment is definitely one of our pillars of offering," he said. "There is an entertainment flavour to everything we do."

The casino management believes it is important to be involved in the community, he said, pointing out all the civic projects financed by gaming funds.

The city receives gaming funds for having a casino located within Burnaby.

"We want to be involved in the community," Ballesty said. "The blues festival is a great opportunity to do that."

Lesismore will play Thursday, Aug. 12 and Friday, Aug. 13, prior to Saturday's festival, at Ebo Restaurant at the Delta Burnaby Hotel from 6 to 10 p.m.

Taylor James plays the Scala Lounge at the Grand Villa Casino from 9 to 11 p.m. on Thursday.

James' management company got in touch with the casino about playing the show, Ballesty said, and they were happy to have her.

On Friday, James will also play a free concert at the outdoor plaza at Metropolis at Metrotown from noon to 2 p.m.

The Hilton Vancouver Metrotown is also involved in sponsoring the festival.

The hotel has also provided comped rooms for the festival, according to Denis Nokony, assistant director of cultural services for the City of Burnaby.

Burnaby's own Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne will play the Hilton's Reflect Social Dining and Lounge on Thursday and Friday from 7 to 11 p.m.

Both hotels are offering special blues festival room packages, which include two festival tickets, for Aug. 13 and 14.

Tourism Burnaby is offering a chance to win a weekend getaway at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown for four, which includes tickets to the festival and the Burnaby Village Museum, as well as a $300 gift card for Metropolis at Metrotown.

Go to www.tourismburnaby.com/annual-burnaby-blues-and-roots-festival/contest.html to enter.

The Burnaby Blues and Roots festival includes Taj Mahal, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Serena Ryder, Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Colin Linden and Little Miss Higgins. It will be held on Saturday, Aug. 14 from 12:30 p.m. onwards.

The winner of Shore FM's Sounds of Summer contest will also play.

The 11th annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival will be held at the newly renovated Deer Lake Park.

Tickets can be purchased at www.burnabybluesfestival.com.