MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL CANCELED FOR THIS YEAR
MONTEREY >> Despite holding out hope that by September the COVID-19 pandemic would be long gone, the Monterey Jazz Festival announced Thursday that this year’s event, scheduled for Sept. 25-27, has been canceled.
The festival hopes to present many of the same acts that were on the bill this year at next year’s event, scheduled Sept. 24-26, 2021. Ticket holders will have three options for how they can handle the change.
“It’s heartbreaking for all of us,” said Jazz Fest Artistic Director Tim Jackson. “We work so hard in creating the festival each year and I certainly try to put together fresh, compelling music. We hoped to pull off this year’s festival and we waited a little longer for something to break. As we got further along it became clear that the landscape out there was not supporting the ability to move forward with large events.
“A lot of the artists we have were on tours and those tours were starting to get canceled. We, unfortunately, were starting to lose artists, too many of the dates on their tours were getting canceled, they couldn’t see a viable way forward. It just became clear to us by the end of last week there was no way it could happen.
“Really most importantly we were feeling the responsibility toward our artists and patrons, our staff and volunteers. None of us could imagine a way to ‘safely’
present the festival. It’s too darn big and too much going on. It seemed like an impossible task. We just had to let it go.”
In the festival’s 63-year history this is the first time the event hasn’t been able to go on. Its reputation as the longest continually running jazz festival in the world might contain an asterisk after it in the future.
“We think of our artists, patrons, and volunteers as part of our MJF family,” said Executive Director Colleen Bailey. “We make this difficult choice as a way of protecting those we hold dear. But while we eagerly await the chance to be with you again to enjoy the moments that can only be experienced as a community, we promise that we will use this time productively to develop new ideas that will bring the festival back better than ever!”
If you have already purchased your Monterey Jazz Festival tickets, you will have three options:
• Donate the value of your ticket to support the continuation of the Jazz Fest. The festival relies on ticket revenue to operate and every donation that can be made will help to sustain the organization today and for years to come. To donate the value of your tickets, visit www. montereyjazzfestival.org and navigate to the festival page, click more information and find the link to the form you need to fill out. Your seats will be reserved for you to renew in 2021.
• Or you can transfer your tickets to the 2021 festival.
No action is required should you choose this option.
• You may also request a full refund, which includes all applicable fees. Refunds must be requested by July 17. To request your refund visit www.etix.com/ticket/ online/help2.jsp to fill out and send in a form or call 888-248-6499. If you chose to request a refund, your seats will be reserved for you to renew in 2021.
Artichoke Festival cancels
Held continuously since 1959, the Artichoke Festival canceled this year’s event scheduled for Aug. 8-9 due to COVID-19 concerns. The festival board announced next year’s event at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center will be June 5-6. The Artichoke Festival will refund all tickets prepurchased by patrons for the 2020 event.
Drive-thru food distribution
The Food Bank for Monterey County will conduct a drive-thru community food distribution Friday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Monterey Peninsula College.
Any person experiencing food insecurity is welcome. Access the campus via Iris Canyon Road/Fishnet Road off of Fremont Street. Food will be placed by food bank personnel and National Guard members into empty trunks of participants.
More information on other drive-thru distributions organized by the food bank can be found on its website at https://foodbankformontereycounty. org/food-assistance/.