Jazzfest was last downtown in 2000. Malfitano said he has artists waiting in the wings who are interested in performing, but he can’t make an offer to booking agencies without securing all funding.
Onondaga County legislators committed $125,000 toward an effort to revive Jazzfest for the first time in five years this Tuesday, March 1. The 16 to one vote matched a commitment by the Syracuse Common Councilor last month. Executive director Frank Malfitano is pleased with the support, but there’s plenty of work still ahead.
“Our attention now pivots to the state and to the private sector to see what additional support we can garner but I think we’re closer than we’ve been in the last five years and I’m cautiously optimistic,” Malfitano said.
Malfitano said they are still working to secure a location. He said many elected officials he has met with want to see the festival return downtown where it can drive business to restaurants, clubs, and retailers still struggling to recover from the pandemic. But Legislator Mary Kuhn questions if they see much additional benefit. She was the lone no vote.
“I have talked to a number of businesses downtown restaurants and bars which is what we are trying to bring up because they’ve suffered so much and generally jazz fest people come to downtown, they drink beer there, and they use the food trucks there. What I have heard from many businesses downtown is that they are not necessarily helped by that,” Kuhn said.
Jazzfest was last downtown in 2000. Malfitano said he has artists waiting in the wings who are interested in performing, but he can’t make an offer to booking agencies without securing all funding.
