By BusinessWest Staff 192
NORTHAMPTON — Due to the current regulations regarding community health and limitations on public gatherings brought on by COVID-19, the Northampton Jazz Festival has made the decision to postpone its 2020 festival scheduled for the first weekend in October.
The Northampton Jazz Festival is a celebration of jazz music held yearly in downtown Northampton, collaborating with local businesses and performers to provide the community with musical performances. From jazz strolls to intimate venues with Grammy Award-winning performers, this weekend has become a staple of the community. Next year’s event will be held on Oct. 1-2, 2021.
The organization plans to maintain a strong social-media presence to connect jazz lovers with live concerts they can safely watch from home. Furthermore, the board of directors is working under the guidance of both city and state public-health officials to collaborate with local musicians, city partners, and downtown businesses.
Through these means, festival leaders are working on a plan to provide downtown Northampton with quality jazz performances in a safe way. As Massachusetts transitions through its four-phase reopening, more details will be confirmed. While the festival cannot continue as intended this year, organizers hope to bring a celebration of jazz music to the community in a different and safe form.
President Ruth Griggs, who has been leading the festival for three years, noted that “we are truly saddened by the reality that this coronavirus has forced on us, but our most important goal is to provide a pleasurable, meaningful, and safe experience for our jazz fans, jazz musicians, and to our community partners. Unfortunately, we recognize that we just won’t be able to achieve that in this pandemic environment.”
Tags: Northampton Jazz Festival
