Current News

Thanks for a wonderful Festival!

1. Puppets, parades and people (with youtube video)
2. Thanks to audience, supporters, sponsors
3. Join us for next year

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The 15th annual Guelph Jazz Festival has come to an end. From all angles, it was a resounding success - made possible only by the contributions of hundreds of people. We'd like to thank you, our loyal and supportive audience, for your participation and jazz spirit. If you'd like to play a role in planning or supporting next year's Festival, please see below. In the meantime, stay tuned for more newsletters, bringing you updates about upcoming concerts and Festival news as well as special offers and insider tips.

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1. Puppets, parades and people (with YouTube video)

It rained Friday and it rained again on Sunday, but the weather gods shone on the Guelph Jazz Festival all day Saturday, for over 12 hours of free music, great food, fun and celebration at the Upper Wyndham Street Jazz Tent.

It was an outdoor birthday bash to mark our 15th anniversary, and it exceeded our loftiest expectations: the tent was jammed all day, with hundreds of people sitting around the perimeter as well; a family-friendly vibe; an easy-going integration with the vibrant student scene also underway downtown; and even an art gallery opening (the new Alma Gallery), right beside us, with a display of 15 years of jazz festival posters and artwork.

By the time the Tall Boys finished playing their set at 10:30 pm, a parade was already underway from the River Run Centre (where Tortoise had just finished playing), led by Jane Bunnett and a colourful cast of puppets and dancers. When they hit St. George's Square in downtown Guelph, the celebration had grown to a huge throng. It was a mini-carnaval - a carnavalissimo - drawing bystanders in as it passed.

You can catch (or relive) the street party spirit by watching three short video clips on our YouTube channel: dancing in St. George's Square, jam in The Walkway, arriving at the jazz tent.

You can also read the Globe and Mail's review of the weekend's music ("Guelph fest goes out on a party note") here.

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2. Thanks to audience, supporters, sponsors

Because of our expanded lineup and tent hours, we anticipate that the 15th Guelph Jazz Festival will surpass all previous marks for attendance, ticket sales and hours of music offered. We saw local Guelph residents, out-of-towners, and people who came from other countries - including families, seniors and teens - people that were new to jazz and hard-core improvisational groupies - they were all there, soaking up a huge diversity of performances. We'd like to thank all those who came and made this year's Festival a memorable success.

Of course, many people behind the scenes played a role too. Our dedicated and unbelievably hard-working office staff. Our amazing cadre of volunteer coordinators and technical staff. Our partners at the River Run Centre. Our board of directors. And over 150 volunteers who gave their time and expertise from anywhere from six hours, to one week, to one year.

We are also devoted to our loyal members who support our vision all year long by contributing financially to the Festival - and to the scores who joined us anew during the Festival. Your endorsement is a tremendous assistance.

Where would we be without our incredible sponsors? Without these people, there wouldn't be a jazz festival. With ticket sales covering less than 25 per cent of our costs, we rely on support from the three levels of government, local businesses and foundations. Equally important are our media sponsors who sing our praises and get the word out through print, website and radio. (For a complete list of our sponsors, visit here on our website.)

We'll never forget the amazing artists and performers who performed at this year's Festival. They came from near and far, with many performing for the first time at the Festival. They shared their talent, warmth, and passion for creative and improvised music. They left this city bigger in spirit - and we hope they went away talking about a community that rolled out the red carpet and embraced them wholeheartedly.

Lastly, it was our blessing to have Artistic Director Ajay Heble present throughout the festival, showing his growing strength as he recovers from a narrowly averted tragedy last spring. Although it has taken awhile for his full strength to return, there was a familiar glow in his eye this past week. As he left River Run Centre after Sunday's magnificent Zornothology, his quiet smile seemed to say: "I was sure this would work, and I knew this band would deliver an amazing performance."

Welcome back Ajay! Thanks for a vision that was hatched more than a year ago, and which came to fruition with us all together. We are so lucky.

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3. Join us for next year

Never ones to be still for very long, we're already in the planning stages for next year's Festival! If you'd like to contribute in anyway, whether it be through volunteering (for short or long periods of time), becoming a member, or joining our board, we'd love to hear from you! Here's how you can contact us to find out more about the options available:

Becoming a volunteer

Becoming a member

Thanks again and see you next year!