Jacksonville Jazz Fest 2011!
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Culture/Jazzfest-2011/i-Sjqr9Gr/0/O/jazzfbanner2.jpg)
For the past couple of years, there comes a time when even the most impassive cynic is forced to recognize the magic and sheer logistical genius of the City's Office of Special Events. Since the reimagination of the Jazz Festival as a downtown street festival event instead of a Metropolitan Park based sojourn, the remarkable women of Special Events, led by the iconoclastic Teresa Price have been tested to their limits. This year they have proven that they are a force to be contended with.
This year, the Jazz Festival is set to outdo the tremendous success of last year's groundbreaking event. On top of that, the city's ambitious exploratory moves this year may end up catapulting the event into world class status.
Join us for the inside dope of this years JazzFest!
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-may-jacksonville-jazz-fest-2011
Downtown looks amazing!!! I'm definitely going to pass through at some point this evening on my bike. Those light poles look awesome. Can we PLEASE do this more than one weekend a year??
It was neat to see the jazz festival use the space from the now-closed sandwich shop in the Main Library for a store.
Great article! We plan to be there off and on all throughout the entire thing - and of course, living in Springfield makes the whole thing walkable!
Quote from: Springfield Chicken on May 27, 2011, 12:59:54 PM
Great article! We plan to be there off and on all throughout the entire thing - and of course, living in Springfield makes the whole thing walkable!
And living in Riverside makes the whole thing bikeable. San Marco residents can bike to Skyway stations, or walk across the Main Street Bridge. Why wouldn't you live in one of the core neighborhoods in Jax?
I am going down tonight with a couple of friends. It was really exciting to be down there last year at night and feel the buzz of an alive downtown.
I planned on biking down Sunday too from Riverside, but somebody apparently needed my bike more than me, and cut my lock and stole my bike Wednesday. So if anyone sees a neighbor in the area with a new bright green/yellow mountain bike please let me know.
Exquisitely written as always, Stephen.
I really hope the Snyder can become a full-time performance venue/restaurant, something along those lines - much like Freemason Abbey near me in Norfolk.
Any developments on Jazz Fest-specific distinctive items for sale? I seem to remember some talk of an annual snow globe or charm (or possibly both).
well done...thanks to everyone involved...and thanks Stephen for writing a very positive article about our city and downtown!
Is the Jazz Festival a "rain or shine" event? We still want to go down there whether it's drizzling or not but I'd hate to wander around a wet Jazz-less downtown.
Im glad I did not go this year. I wanted to badly. But this weather is horriable. I want to go when Im able to really enjoy it. That is the down side of having outdoor events. Hopefully things clear up soon.
things will be fine in a few hours...and Saturday and Sunday are predicted to be fine...come on down duvaldude
Can't wait for Jazz Fest to start!! Go away rain. Tonight should be very fun downtown. Bill Maher too!
The JTA expanded the Skyway hours for the Jazz Festival so moving around downtown or coming over from San Marco should be a snap.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on May 27, 2011, 05:05:02 PM
Im glad I did not go this year. I wanted to badly. But this weather is horriable. I want to go when Im able to really enjoy it. That is the down side of having outdoor events. Hopefully things clear up soon.
Its supposed to be gone around 8ish tonight. It damn well better. It hasnt rained for a month and it picks today, ugh.
Quote from: exnewsman on May 27, 2011, 05:28:04 PM
The JTA expanded the Skyway hours for the Jazz Festival so moving around downtown or coming over from San Marco should be a snap.
Where's some good free parking in San Marco thats close to the station??
Park in the Kings Avenue surface lot. It's not officially 'free' but if you forgot to put a quarter in the honor box, I don't think anyone is going to tow your car. Or you could park on Kings. There is parallel parking on the same side of the road as the station - just walk between the buildings.
Quote from: ubben on May 27, 2011, 05:15:02 PM
Can't wait for Jazz Fest to start!! Go away rain. Tonight should be very fun downtown. Bill Maher too!
I'll be going to Bill Maher at the Florida Theater.
Got ready to see Marion Meadows perform at 5 PM, but it was pouring.........I hope the lighning forced them to delay the start today so I can still catch some good acts before seeing Bill Maher tonight.
I just went out there, but the weather deterred me. I'll try again in another hour. I'm not giving up.
Quote from: dougskiles on May 27, 2011, 05:38:19 PM
Park in the Kings Avenue surface lot. It's not officially 'free' but if you forgot to put a quarter in the honor box, I don't think anyone is going to tow your car. Or you could park on Kings. There is parallel parking on the same side of the road as the station - just walk between the buildings.
Thanks. I def wanna stay away from downtown with my car. I'm sure that would be a nightmare.
weather.com's crystal ball feature seems to say it'll be clear enough by 7PM.
Quote from: peestandingup on May 27, 2011, 06:00:45 PM
Quote from: dougskiles on May 27, 2011, 05:38:19 PM
Park in the Kings Avenue surface lot. It's not officially 'free' but if you forgot to put a quarter in the honor box, I don't think anyone is going to tow your car. Or you could park on Kings. There is parallel parking on the same side of the road as the station - just walk between the buildings.
Thanks. I def wanna stay away from downtown with my car. I'm sure that would be a nightmare.
We just parked and are on the way. Plenty of spots left at Kings. Standing on the train waiting to go. Naturally, when JTA has a chance to showcase the Skyway, there is a problem and we had to get off so the maintenance guy can inspect the track. Quite a crowd though - probably twenty people...
I just got back in to grab some water. So much food.
What a great event for Jax. We're not even there yet but have a train full of people visiting town for the Jazz Festival. Valdosta, Savannah, Daytona and Atlanta are the ones I've met so far. Guy from Atlanta says our blows atlanta's away.
Rain? What rain? Once I got here it was beautiful. Thanks dougskiles for the parking tips. I'm at that park by the main stage now. The crowded one! Whoooo
just got back in...saw some great acts starting around 5:45 at Hemming Plaza (which looks amazing btw)...and then at the Landing...finally, walked through the streets and over to the main stage in time to hear Natelie Cole for a few songs.
As Doug said, this a great event for Jax. and people come from all over!
What a great night. Natalie is an amazing daughter, and continues to carry the torch for her father with fervert determination. She did the two songs I (and I'm sure everyone else) wanted to hear.
I went to the caterers on Adams St in front of Farah and Farah and got some great alligator meat. I haven't had it since living in South Florida.
I wish Hemming Plaza could look like that everyday.
It seemed like a great crowd and atmosphere. Vendors had very reasonable prices from what I saw.
And of course the performances were great.
Yeah, it was a good night. Hemming Plaza was really cool. Didn't make it down to the Landing, but the main stage (with Natalie) was crazy crowded.
(http://i.imgur.com/pjnej.jpg)
And here was the look getting off the Skyway in Hemming Plaza looking down at the Rebirth Brass Band.
(http://i.imgur.com/lkaQW.jpg)
Beautiful jazz festival day! Can't wait to jump on the skyway and head over to see Mr. Tyner at 1:30!
Thanks so much for your support MetroJax! We really appreciate it. Also, big thanks to everyone who is posting photos of all the festivities. Since things are quite busy with all the great activities, we are posting updates to the Jazz Festival Facebook page www.facebook.com/jacksonvillejazzfestival and twitter www.twitter.com/jaxjazzfest or @JaxJazzFest. A full printable schedule, maps, and activities are on our website www.JaxJazzFest.com. We will try to post here as well later today. Again, thank you for all the support and we encourage everyone to make a scene downtown at the Jazz Festival. It is going to be another great day!
another stellar day...the Landing and Hemming Plaza were packed this afternoon and evening!
Where are the pics?
Quote from: dougskiles on May 27, 2011, 07:15:17 PM
What a great event for Jax. We're not even there yet but have a train full of people visiting town for the Jazz Festival. Valdosta, Savannah, Daytona and Atlanta are the ones I've met so far. Guy from Atlanta says our blows atlanta's away.
Atlanta has NOTHING on what Jax is doing when it comes to JazzFest. Maybe New Orleans or New York can rival Jax, but not Atlanta.
I went downtown tonight. Walk around a little, had some drinks at the landing, Great Atmosphere. I was not attacked or approached by anyone homeless. (for those of you who think DT is SOOO dangerous) There was only one weird guy with long gray hair that looked possesed by the devil. He was creepy but he didnt bother us. We just kept walking. My friend and I are both big guys so I was not too worried about that. lol
Quote from: Coolyfett on May 28, 2011, 10:57:38 PM
Where are the pics?
These were around 7pm at Hemming Plaza (by the time the band came on, there was barely any standing room anywhere & VIP section was full)
(http://i.imgur.com/pl17b.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/xGzw6.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/fY1Ps.jpg)
Here was the Landing at almost closing time (still pretty damn crazy).
(http://i.imgur.com/r5iO4.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1AsxC.jpg)
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The recent uplifting focus on Downtown makes the Jazz Festival even all the more exciting!
The Jazz Festival crowd has to be the most mellow and laid-back big crowd you will ever be in. Everybody was just having a good time, enjoying the music and the company of fellow jazz lovers.
We sat next to a guy who had come up from Lakeland for the Festival. He had never heard of it until he happened on it last year when visiting his daughter here. He intends to come back every year and was interested in what restaurants were open during the festival.
Quote from: Dog Walker on May 29, 2011, 10:50:52 AM
The Jazz Festival crowd has to be the most mellow and laid-back big crowd you will ever be in. Everybody was just having a good time, enjoying the music and the company of fellow jazz lovers.
We sat next to a guy who had come up from Lakeland for the Festival. He had never heard of it until he happened on it last year when visiting his daughter here. He intends to come back every year and was interested in what restaurants were open during the festival.
We met people from Atlanta & Memphis. One guy we talked to on the Skyway was down from New Orleans.
I think Jazz Fest will be considered a world class event in a couple years. It might be there already.
More pics please!
I took a ton of pics yesterday. Not sure how to post them.
BE IN FRONT OF THE SWINGING STAGE AT 6:30
if you want to say hello... Herbie Hancock ROCKS!
MAIN AND MONROE AT 6:30
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: fsujax on May 29, 2011, 02:39:06 PM
I took a ton of pics yesterday. Not sure how to post them.
I use imgur.com for simple forum posts. It's easy & you don't need an account or anything.
Getting ready to go back out. Will try to get some more pics.
We'll be going this afternoon and will try to take some pictures. I'm exited, it'll be the first time in years I've been able to make it.
Ock. I will be there!
If anyone has any pics they would like posted but don't know how to, email the images to metrojacksonvillle@metrojacksonville.com. I'd like to get them up on the front page for all to see.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on May 29, 2011, 03:03:20 PM
BE IN FRONT OF THE SWINGING STAGE AT 6:30
if you want to say hello... Herbie Hancock ROCKS!
MAIN AND MONROE AT 6:30
OCKLAWAHA
Nice turnout from MJ folks...saw ock, fsujax, and citylife down there tonight...stephendare and deadgirlsdon'tdance this afternoon...and fieldafm last night!
Quote from: thelakelander on May 29, 2011, 03:37:36 PM
If anyone has any pics they would like posted but don't know how to, email the images to metrojacksonvillle@metrojacksonville.com. I'd like to get them up on the front page for all to see.
btw...note there is a spelling error in the email address..it is
metrojacksonville@metrojacksonville.com
IN FRONT OF THE SWINGING STAGE AT 6:30
HERBIE, HERBIE, HERBIE, WOW... WATERMELON MAN! A freaking-mazing...
My day?
Went to Vilano Beach this morning, ate lunch, then to the Castillo De San Marcos, at about 1:30 it was the St. Augustine air show to watch the Corsair do it's stuff, lastly to the Jazz Festival where I made the discovery that I'm completely burned toast... But hey, where else in the world can you take in a day like that?
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Ocklawaha on May 29, 2011, 09:49:25 PM
IN FRONT OF THE SWINGING STAGE AT 6:30
HERBIE, HERBIE, HERBIE, WOW... WATERMELON MAN! A freaking-mazing...
My day?
Went to Vilano Beach this morning, ate lunch, then to the Castillo De San Marcos, at about 1:30 it was the St. Augustine air show to watch the Corsair do it's stuff, lastly to the Jazz Festival where I made the discovery that I'm completely burned toast... But hey, where else in the world can you take in a day like that?
OCKLAWAHA
You forgot met a fellow MetJax member on the Skyway ride over there. Namely, ME! lol (I was the guy with the little girl). ;D
I didn't realize it was you until later when I got to thinking about it (never knew what you looked like).
I love our Jazz Festival. I saw several great shows: Spam Allstars, Mavis Staples and several at the Old Church. But I hope next year the festival committee reconsiders the planning for the big Swingin' Stage. By devoting nearly a football field of space right in front of the stage to 'VIP' tickets, the energy is completely sapped from the performances. There weren't all that many people in the VIP area and it is very strange to see all the jazz lovers pushed an entire block away from the stage. What's with this Country Club mentality? Keeping the 'masses' away from the stage is not what Jazz is all about. It should be for everyone not just some elite core of ticket buyers (all our tax dollars are funding this festival, by the way). The performers must have been deflated playing in front of empty chairs and tables and having to look way into the distance to see the hordes of fans. I understand the need for VIP ticketing for cash flow, but the area devoted to the VIP patrons at the Swingin Stage should be a tenth the size that it was. The only shows I enjoyed were at the other stages where you could actually see the performers and by mid-Saturday, I had stopped going to the Swingin' Stage to see anything. I realize the event is still somewhat new to the downtown area. Overall, it's fantastic downtown, but please change the set up for next year's seating!
Quote from: ubben on May 30, 2011, 04:55:14 PM
But I hope next year the festival committee reconsiders the planning for the big Swingin' Stage. By devoting nearly a football field of space right in front of the stage to 'VIP' tickets, the energy is completely sapped from the performances. There weren't all that many people in the VIP area and it is very strange to see all the jazz lovers pushed an entire block away from the stage. What's with this Country Club mentality? Keeping the 'masses' away from the stage is not what Jazz is all about. It should be for everyone not just some elite core of ticket buyers (all our tax dollars are funding this festival, by the way). The performers must have been deflated playing in front of empty chairs and tables and having to look way into the distance to see the hordes of fans. I understand the need for VIP ticketing for cash flow, but the area devoted to the VIP patrons at the Swingin Stage should be a tenth the size that it was. The only shows I enjoyed were at the other stages where you could actually see the performers and by mid-Saturday, I had stopped going to the Swingin' Stage to see anything. I realize the event is still somewhat new to the downtown area. Overall, it's fantastic downtown, but please change the set up for next year's seating!
Was going to post this same thing. Way WAY too much space for the VIP section there at Hemming. Sucks the life right outta a lot of those performances.
If you look through most of the pics floating around here, that section is hardly filled at all (most the time there's only a handful of people in it, especially during the daytime shows). Yet, there were people falling over each other in the rest of the park. The only time I saw it with any good crowds in it was during the headliners.
I'm just saying, would have been a much cooler more intimate vibe had they had that opened up more & let people close to the stage (esp if the VIP section is almost completely empty). That was really my only beef with the setup. Hopefully the planners took notice & will fix that for next year.
Quote from: ubben on May 30, 2011, 04:55:14 PM
What's with this Country Club mentality?
its called raising money...without the VIP sales and corporate sponsorships, the festival would have either been smaller or cost more tax money (which isn't something in plentiful supply)...it wasn't too long ago when the main concerts at Metro Park required a ticket.
Quote from: tufsu1 on May 30, 2011, 07:09:45 PM
Quote from: ubben on May 30, 2011, 04:55:14 PM
What's with this Country Club mentality?
its called raising money...without the VIP sales and corporate sponsorships, the festival would have either been smaller or cost more tax money (which isn't something in plentiful supply)...it wasn't too long ago when the main concerts at Metro Park required a ticket.
Now, I know you know better than to think anyone is saying to do away with VIP seating completely, so why argue that?? Everyone understands the need to raise money in this way.
The point was, it was way overkill in Hemming & was almost completely empty during most of the performances (esp in the day). Then it basically just served as a big voided space & it sorta took away from the experience.
I think maybe a "floating VIP" section would be a good way to solve the issue. Only use what you need. Or maybe just shrink it altogether. The Landing one was much more condensed & it didn't feel like the non-VIPs were a mile away from the performances.
I saw empty VIP sections during the day...but pretty full ones at night.
At the Swingin' Stage, even when the VIP section was 'full' it felt empty. Much of the space (behind the tables all the way to the street, and to the east near Burrito Gallery) was wasted as it didn't even have chairs or tables set up. It was just unused real estate that didn't satisfy anyone at all. It made the event look underattended and frustrated the fans that were kept behind the VIP fence far away from the stage. The same number of VIP tickets could have been sold and a much better use of the rest of the space could have been offered to the taxpaying Jazz fans. Next year, hopefully it will be.
BTW, did anyone else notice that on Saturday night and Sunday, MOCA and Cafe Nola sat there completely dark and closed up? There must have been 5,000 people in Hemming Plaza and neither of those places benefitted from it in the least. Brilliant!
Quote from: Ocklawaha on May 29, 2011, 03:03:20 PM
BE IN FRONT OF THE SWINGING STAGE AT 6:30
if you want to say hello... Herbie Hancock ROCKS!
MAIN AND MONROE AT 6:30
OCKLAWAHA
I saw ya walk by but too crowded to try to move in your direction...
I agree with the posts regarding the VIP section - the performers deserve to have a crowd of enthusiastic fans up front, close to the stage! Seems like the area immediately in front of the stage should be first come, first served and a VIP section (with umbrella tables, etc.) could be next. I overheard a number of city officials express concern over the empty VIP area so hopefully that will be revamped next year.
I also heard a rumor that Jazz Festival would be moved out of downtown again next year - anyone else know anything about that?