Sioux Falls may never see JazzFest again

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I was proud to be a part of the marketing team for several years and designing the 2006 & 2007 logos.

Even though JF did kind of end a few years ago there was still some hope it would return in some kind of form. With the SFJB Society disbanding this week, we may never see JazzFest again.

It bums me out because it was always a Sioux Falls tradition I kept (often landing on my birthday) and a great mid-summer party with close Sioux Falls friends.

Maybe someday Levitt can bring this great event back!

UPDATE II: JazzFest Killed

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UPDATE II: I’m hearing from a couple of sources that the executive director of SFJB actually resigned last week. I’m not sure if that is true, since he is still listed on their webpage, but it may explain why they decided to pull back. Most people may not know it, but planning for JF takes all year, and the most of the acts are already booked by January or February, they may have done no plans. If anyone knows differently let me know.

UPDATE: The story going around is that JF lost significant money this past year, which doesn’t surprise me. Having to pay for generators, bad weather damaging stuff, no major acts and having the headliner cancel probably did it in. I’ve even heard they are so broke from it that they may have to hand over the concert series they hold at the Orpheum to the Pavilion management, but we will have to see what happens. I think they ‘could’ bring it back in 2021 but would still need to do something like a small Saturday night concert this summer and bill it as a ‘mini’ JF just to keep it relevant. But with the money situation, I’m not sure if that is even possible.

I also have heard that people are blaming Mayor TenHaken because of the proposed ordinance to charge for police assistance. I guess he has been on the horn with certain people mad about the blame game. I won’t defend PTH on much, but it really isn’t his fault. Sure the proposal is stupid and ridiculous, but the city council hasn’t ironed out the details yet and may vote it down anyway IF it is even brought forward. So while the ordinance proposal is moronic, it hasn’t happened yet. I was actually surprised he was so annoyed with it, I would just blow it off.

As you have heard in the news, JazzFest has ended (but will consider doing it in 2021). I think once you go there, you can never recover.

It saddens me for several reasons, I assisted with JF for several years in different roles with graphic design work, helping to design the logo two years, and designing countless other items for them. It was always a tradition for me, for at least 20 years. I will miss it.

Some think it may have to do with the city council considering charging for police assistance, but I think it really has to do with all the problems from this past festival and low attendance, and former director Rob Joyce leaving. It of course has never been the same since Janoct Adja died 🙂 We may never know. I think that this city has been going towards more ‘family friendly’ festivals lately (not that JF wasn’t) and it is just hard to put on these kind of large events anymore.

I actually think the city council has the votes to either kill the police ordinance, or at least reduce the proposed fee of $70 an hour per officer significantly. I would like for them to pass an ordinance that only charges ‘For-Profit’ events for police assistance and leave the non-profit’s exempt.

As we know these events bring in huge economic impact that can cover the police costs, it is just a matter of the city budgeting for it and paying the officers for these duties. Which is easily done instead of continuing to screw the police union.

Isn’t ironic that our mayor was in DC yesterday bragging about how he doesn’t want to burden the FOR-PROFIT telecoms (who make billions a year) with high fees for 5G poles then turns around and depends on volunteers to clean up after tornados, doesn’t plow our streets and now wants to charge for police assistance (even though they have plenty of money in the budget for it). This administration’s priorities are messed up, and you will see that when the $21.5 million dollar TIF for a private developer gets passed with NO evidence or studies proving TIFs provide economic impact to our city. The arts and other non-profit events in Sioux Falls have already had numerous studies showing their impact, but who has time to read that stuff? For TIFs and telecom handouts we’ll just take your word.

JazzFest is on for 2018

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I got word last night that JF is fully booked this year except for the local and regional acts, and it will be business as usual.

They also have been conducting a national search for Rob Joyce’s replacement as Executive Director and have several good prospects at this point.

RIBFEST calls it quits, are other festivals next?

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Looks like $10 for 3 bones festival is over;

“The entertainment landscape has continued to expand over recent years with the opening of Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, The District and soon to be Levitt Shell,” Torkildson said. “SMG is refocusing its resources and efforts to managing and producing events in the venues it manages in Sioux Falls.”

I find it interesting that they would cancel this event right after getting a new contract to help manage Canaries Stadium. Makes you wonder what revenues are really like for SMG in Sioux Falls, or what they are seeing for projections.

I have been hearing rumors over the past couple of months that both CityFest (used to be LifeLight) and JazzFest may be on the chopping blocks also. I haven’t had anyone confirm that yet with me, but I do know that LifeLight as an organization has been liquidating some assets and Rob Joyce is retiring from the Jazz and Blues Society.

While I could give two-sh*ts about Ribfest or LifeLight, killing JazzFest would be very detrimental to summer entertainment. Even if they have to just scale back for a couple of years to one day, I think that would be better than trying to bring it back later. Obviously there is going to be a shift to have more outdoor festivals downtown at the Levitt, which is awesome, but Yankton Trails was a perfect venue for JazzFest. I was told at one time that JazzFest attendees are around 40% out of town (not sure what last year’s numbers were) but many stay for the entire event at local hotels and campgrounds. The economic impact of JF is pretty big when you consider all the city has to do is provide a city park for about a week they we already pay to maintain anyway.

Let’s hope for the best!

Sioux Falls Parks & Rec BIG FAIL at JazzFest

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While everyone was dancing naked in the parks in celebration over the smoking ban (I still saw a lot of people smoking) at JazzFest, I was extremely disappointed that the ONLY public water fountain available on the South side of the park was shut off this year. In year’s past, the organizers do a good job of trying to hide it behind the porta potties, but it is usually on.

I get it that the organizers want to sell bottled water to raise money, but those of us that would prefer to spend what money we do have on food and beer and don’t like the taste of bottled water (ick) we like having that available, especially when it is around 100 degrees, and you know, like a public park.

So let’s talk public safety here. While we seem to be concerned about the 2 or 3 kids that will be in attendance that have asthma breathing smoke, we don’t seem to be too concerned about thousands of dehydrated individuals on a hot day, unless of course they have $3 to buy a bottled water the organizers probably bought for a nickel or got donated.

I guess this year we not only had a smoking ban in Yankton Trail Park, we had a Water Ban. Ironically the sprinkler system was working just fine because when I was walking around in the grass Thursday night my feet got wet.