Two locations. 18 performances. Endless entertainment.
The
Springfield Jazz & Blues Fest presented by
Springfield Kiwanis is back in Downtown Springfield for its second year. With the success of year one, the event has grown to include 18 performing artists, including three Grammy winners.
"We're really pleasantly surprised at how well the first year went. Even with inclement weather on the Saturday evening, we were able to salvage the festival," says Richard Carey, festival organizer. "Springfield Kiwanis was able to make money for service projects we otherwise wouldn't have made."
Carey says an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people attended Jazz & Blues Fest concerts during the two days of the first year.
Throughout the Aug. 11 and 12 festival, performers will take to the stages at
Mother Stewart's Brewing and also a main stage at National Road Commons.
"We're dressing that stage up more with a 9-by-16-foot LED screen on the side of the stage so people in the back can see the artists up close," Carey says. "And, we've added more speakers so people all the way up to Main Street will be able to hear music from the Commons."
Todd Stoll, director of the
Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra and the current vice president for jazz education at Lincoln Center, serves as the artistic director for the Jazz & Blues Fest, and Carey says he has been able to attract not only regional and national talent, but also will be featuring some local talent, including performances by the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra.
"I think the amazing thing about this festival is that it's free to the public. Because of the generous donation from John Legend and other sponsors, we are able to make the event free," Carey says. "From security to insurance to artists to stages, the expenses are huge, and we can't thank our business sponsors enough."
The line up of artists includes: Mother's Jazz Collective, Todd Stoll Septet, Tammy McCann, Aaron Diehl Trio, The Champion City Trio, Liquid Crystal Project, Pharez Whitted, Marquis Knox, Such Sweet Thunder, Dayton Salsa Project, Theron Brown Trio and Alexa Tarantino, Bobby Floyd with Walter Blanding, Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra with Catherine Russell, Connor Smith Trio, Mike Wade and the Nasty Nati Brass Band, Joshua Strange Quartet, Joe Waters, and Brianna Thomas.
The full schedule of performance times, days, and locations can be found on the Springfield Jazz & Blues Fest
website.
The free festival is in a "really beautiful area," Carey says, explaining how the paving of the parking lot just north of the Commons and the completion of the town homes surrounding the greenspace have both improved the overall atmosphere of that Downtown area.
"We'll have plenty of variety in food truck vendors plus a great sampling of beer and wine near the Commons stage, and Mother Stewart's has their full bar available," Carey added. Both performance locations are within the DORA space, meaning people are able to wander from stage to stage and take adult beverages with them.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets to enjoy concerts in the Commons greenspace. They'll also find a couple merchandise vendors added to this year's festival, including Ron Stephen's Hats and cigars from Mike Minnette, Carey says.
Food vendors at Mother Stewart's will include: Cupzilla, Christian Brothers, Cray Cray Cajun, Freddie's Franks, Los Mariachi's, Ol' School and Tortilla Street Food. Food and drink vendors at National Road Commons park will include: EAT, The Peanut Shoppe, Kore 4 Soul, Riddles Ribs, Young's Jersey Dairy, and Heidelberg Beer and Wine. The full list of days and locations for food vendors can be found on the event
website.
Springfield Kiwanis will have two booths set up at National Road Commons selling festival merch and water. The booth near the Commons stage will also be selling beer and wine tickets.
The website also includes a map that showing not only the stage locations, but also convenient parking options and the Kids Zone - sponsored by Richwood Bank. Carey reinforced that the event is family friendly, and he says many kids attended last year.
Carey says sponsorships are what make the who event possible.
"It's a six-figure event; it's not cheap to put this on," he says. "We've been blessed with sponsors who have come forward, and who have been very generous to support it.
"Because of inflation, our costs have gone up 15 to 20 percent this year, and we have some great sponsors making this all possible."
The Ohio Kiwanis chose to host their annual meeting at the
Courtyard by Marriott overlapping the festival, which will bring several hundred Kiwanis members from across the state to Downtown Springfield who are looking forward to experiencing the festival, Carey says.
He called the Springfield Jazz & Blues Fest "an A1 level cultural event."
"You can travel to any city across the country and not get a better jazz and blues festival than what we're getting in our own backyard," Carey says. "It enhances the quality of life for our own citizens here because a lot of people haven't been exposed to jazz and blues. And it gives Springfield an opportunity to show off its Downtown to people from outside the community."