The Jacksonville Jazz Festival will be held on Laura Street, between Hemming Plaza and The Landing.
Quote(http://www.coj.net/NR/rdonlyres/ereeh3tfqzohenw3n5zszqpif2qkanz7teux4oehmnj453kca2l5ft6zgntpjvv4kqqsluaawgbp24lr2ozkyez3xka/JAXJAZZ09blue_final-web.gif)
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
May 21-24, 2009
Downtown Jacksonville â€" Laura Street Corridor (Laura Street between Hemming Plaza and The Jacksonville Landing)
Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition
May 21, 2009
The Florida Theatre
The 2009 festival will continue the tradition of Jazz in Jacksonville with a variety of jazz genres and special components. Other activities include the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, the Art in the Heart Art Show & Sale, Wine Down: A Wine Tasting Experience featuring a variety of fine wines, the ‘Round Midnight Jazz Jam and a Jazz Brunch. For more information, visit www.jaxjazzfest.com, e-mail events@coj.net or call 904-630-3690.
http://www.coj.net/Departments/Recreation+and+Community+Services/Special+Events/Jazz+Festival/Default.htm
This is good news... the logistics will prove interesting... :)
I want to "SEE THIS!" HA! HA! Q#(Y$!@*(y&~*&)#~y#_)!
These folks don't remember the first Mayport Festival at the ferry landing? 100,000 person's in lines 12 miles long. Standing at the landing, one should get a great view of the band up by Monroe Street! Holy #$(@
This is FUNNY!
I LOVE this idea! Talk about entertainment! CNN here we come!
Bring your camcorders boys and girls cause this is headed for CLUSTER @*#$
OCKLAWAHA
Ock, why don't you wait and see the plan before you decide it will be a disaster. On the one hand you always complain that the city doesn't promote downtown...and when they do you complain about the way they do it. Contempt prior to investigation!!! It may suck but it might be great. Always critical.... you are the problem not the solution.
After spending a week in DC's crowds and seeing the amount of money that flowed into those local businesses on crowded streets, bring it on.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/459276332_KpPw8-L.jpg)
I'll take festivals that bring people to the front door of local businesses over those confined to an isolated park a mile from the heart of downtown anyday. View it as an opportunity to be a part of a downtown scene that has just as many people in the streets as those in the historic photos.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/464005714_uUaTW-L.jpg)
Quote from: stephendare on January 30, 2009, 12:40:48 PM
I think this is a great idea.
Hemming Park and the Landing as anchors?
Finally they are doing some thinking. It will be all in the execution of course. But it wouldnt hurt to have street festivals every month downtown.
Couldn't agree with you more Stephendare, I love the concept - it's just based on long experience with our lovely city, that execution becomes a key question. I'm sure as hell going to have a 50 yard line seat. OCKLAWAHA
Finally, a deccison about DT that actually makes sense.
Big thumbs up to whoever hsd the idea.
Was it moved due to a great idea or plan, or, was it moved because of the NIMBY's in St. Nicholas, which ALWAYS complain about the "noise". Does anyone know?
OCKLAWAHA
Because Metropolitan Park is booked.
QuoteMetropolitan Park, which has long been the central venue for the jazz festival, is heavily booked through the spring, and the city is reluctant to boot out another event to make way for jazz, she said.
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-01-02/jazz_festival_looking_for_a_home
I think this is great. Other than the art walk this will be the first major showcase of downtown since the Super Bowl.
The logistics will definitely be crazy, but it can be done.
Cincinnati runs the country's largest Oktoberfest with a similar layout - basically a 5 block stretch of downtown with events running down the central street plus one block of side streets in each direction. They took over a couple parking lots with large tents for performances, with the main stage on a public square. They handle a couple hundred thousand people per day.
There was also a proposal to have it held at Klutho Park, which would've been a nice location for it.
Quote from: jbm32206 on January 30, 2009, 03:05:12 PM
There was also a proposal to have it held at Klutho Park, which would've been a nice location for it.
Maybe next year!
I see no problem with crowded streets full of people enjoying different cultural activities. If anything, let this demonstrate downtown can be car-free. Use the outlying parking lots or, heaven forbid, walk, bike, carpool or use our broken public transportation system.
Metro Park was heavily booked? Who was in charge of securing the date, woudldn't you think it would have been done last year? Here's hoping the street festival works.
did everyone forget about this already.....here's what happened:
1. The event was scheduled at met Oark....but for the same weekend as Springing the Blues @ the beach
2. So, they decided to move to another weekend....but Met Park was already full
Quote from: Ocklawaha on January 30, 2009, 11:27:14 AM
I want to "SEE THIS!" HA! HA! Q#(Y$!@*(y&~*&)#~y#_)!
These folks don't remember the first Mayport Festival at the ferry landing? 100,000 person's in lines 12 miles long. Standing at the landing, one should get a great view of the band up by Monroe Street! Holy #$(@
This is FUNNY!
I LOVE this idea! Talk about entertainment! CNN here we come!
Bring your camcorders boys and girls cause this is headed for CLUSTER @*#$
OCKLAWAHA
Ock I am not so sure man. I went to the Jazz Fest here in Atlanta at Woodruff Park...basically Atlanta's version of Hemming Plaza. If they put the stage in the right location it would really work. I think the best location would be in front of the Skyway station with the performers facing the library. Close Duval at Main Street, Close Hogan at Forsyth, leave Adams open and it should be ok.
You know yall....This is a really good idea, an urban Jazz Fest!! Much props to who ever pulled the trigger on this idea!! I can see it now, masses parking at Jefferson Street lot & Kings Ave Garage and packing the skyway heading to the Jazz fest. MOCA & The Library should take full advantage. JTA should also allow advertising on the trains. This is a positive idea. The ORIGINAL city square getting some love like it did in the old days. I may have to come back to Jacksonville for this one. Id like to see this in person.
I hope it turns out ok. I plan to attend. Its time for this city to man up!!!
QuoteThe Jacksonville Jazz Festival is now scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, after moving from early April to avoid conflict with a blues festival at the Beaches.
It’ll kick off with a Thursday night piano competition May 28, followed by music that Friday, Saturday and Sunday, said Theresa O’Donnell, the city’s director of special events.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-01-30/story/jacksonville_jazz_festival_set_for_memorial_day_weekend (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-01-30/story/jacksonville_jazz_festival_set_for_memorial_day_weekend)
So this means that Parking Enforcement is going to bag every meter from here to Tallahassee, right?
Hey - at least it's another excuse for downtown fireworks (maybe) - they seem to do that right....
Quote from: vicupstate on January 30, 2009, 01:22:43 PM
Finally, a deccison about DT that actually makes sense.
Big thumbs up to whoever hsd the idea.
Perhaps someone downtown reads this site! Not to brag, but the link below will lead you to where the idea came from. Lake, Hunter and I began the vision....props to MetroJax!
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4191.msg62671.html#msg62671
That is one thing that this city has a lockdown on doing right.
We're probably one of the better fireworks watching cities with great views and plenty of fireworks from many different locations.
I will definetly attend the Jazz Festival, and maybe, this will be a major smash hit, and they'll keep it here.
I am very excited about this idea as well!!! I don’t think we have seen a big festival like this downtown since Super Bowl. I know that the people planning the festival are the same that coordinated Super Fest with the entertainment stages, utilizing the Main Street Bridge as a walkway for party-goers, the Bay St. festival, etc. so the Jazz Fest should be in good hands. By putting the festival in the core of downtown and bringing the mass of people here, the downtown businesses should benefit as well. They should offer specials to get people in their doors. Regardless, I will definitely be there!
I am very excited about this.I think this, along with the opening of the Riverside Artists Market, might give downtown the kick in the butt it needs.