Will there or won’t there be a festival season this spring and summer? Event organizers across the city are as anxious as the patrons who long to stroll through a sea of musical acts, artists and food options.
When the COVID-19 pandemic canceled activities last year, the hope was 2021 would roar back bigger and better. But some events are still on the wait-and-see list. The leading factor: safety in numbers.
That’s a top concern for the Atlanta Jazz Festival, which often pulls about 60,000 people into Piedmont Park over Memorial Day weekend. Last year, a monthlong series of online performances substituted for the in-person experience. But this year’s dates have not been finalized, said Camille Russell Love, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
“We’re trying to have it in the fall, but I cannot confirm it will happen,” she said. “We’re waiting it out. The city has to lead the way [about] adhering to COVID conditions. We can’t say other people shouldn’t gather and then host something as big as this.”
