This year’s in-person edition of the Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival has been postponed to July 23 – 25, 2021 in light of the global pandemic and restrictions for large public gatherings.
In the meantime, festival organizers are exploring the possibilities and opportunities of a virtual festival running online and are seeking public input.
“We are living in a new world,” said festival co-founder and executive director, Karen Zukas. “The global pandemic has changed the way we enjoy shared experiences like jazz and art.”
The 3rd annual festival was originally scheduled for July 24 – 26 and was postponed by organizers to September 4 to 7, which is when the proposed virtual concert would take place.
“Where one door closes, another always opens,” said Dave Quinn, festival co-founder and artistic director. “With this changing landscape, we are excited to explore the possibilities and opportunities to share our love of jazz, art and Fort Langley with our community and jazz fans virtually.”
“As much as we will miss hosting our in-person festival, it is the right decision for the health and safety of our community,” said Quinn.
To help the festival move forward, festival organizers are conducting an online survey to gather feedback and ideas about a virtual jazz and arts festival for this year.
READ MORE: Fort Langley Jazz and Art’s Festival moves to September
“We would like to know what people would like to see in a virtual jazz and arts festival and how we can best share our love of jazz and art with people from wherever they may be,” said Zukas.
“While there is much to figure out, we hope that with the insights and information from our community and jazz lovers, we can make this year’s virtual festival a great experience,” she said.
The survey is open until May 12 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X53SS9M
To thank people for completing the survey, participants will be invited to enter a randomized draw.
One grand prize winner will receive a ticket package to four headliner ticketed events at next year’s (2021) Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival, a $430 value!
Two secondary winners will each receive pairs of tickets to the All-Star Blues Show (valued at $135) also in 2021.
Established in 2018, the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival is a not-for-profit organization whose mandate is to enrich cultural life in the Fraser Valley by bringing emerging and established jazz acts and visual artists to Fort Langley.
The annual festival, typically held over the last weekend of July, draws thousands of residents and visitors to the streets of the community.
Other initiatives such as the Jazz in the Vine concert series and Jazz in the Fort nights will be also rescheduled to later dates.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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