Seen On CBS4

• May 6, 2008 1:42 pm US/Mountain
• Digg | Facebook | E-mail

  Close WindowE-mail This Page

  Jazz & Blues To Entertain Convention Week Visitors

  Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

  ---

  • Recipient E-mail:* 
  • • Your Name:* 
    • Your E-mail:* 
  • Add a Message:
  •   Send me a copy of this e-mail.

  • Type the characters in this picture:* Click here to refresh with new letters

  ---

  The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

  Send E-mail

  | Print

Jazz & Blues To Entertain Convention Week Visitors

 Section: Denver 2008 DNC Convention Section

DENVER (CBS4) ― The annual Jazz & Blues Festival in Denver's Five Points neighborhood will be bigger and better this year as it moves to cover seven days when the Democratic National Convention is in town.

Organizers plan to fill Washington, Welton and 26th streets with swinging music, great food and lots of fun from Aug. 23 to Aug. 29. During the past decade, the festival has always taken place on a single day: July 4.

"This is the kind of festival people will talking about in their enjoyable experience here in Denver," said Becky Taylor, one of the festival organizers.

Taylor said there are plans for three stages and a food court. She's expecting between 5,000 and 7,000 visitors each day.

"There is so much going on down here in Five Points, a lot of revitalization," Taylor said. "We want to make sure that people come down to enjoy the music, but also to see some culture and enjoy the changes that are going on here in Five Points."

Hazel Miller, Dotsero, Soul School, and Arturo Sandoval were some of the acts Taylor named as performers for the festival. She said organizers were working on getting commitments from other big name acts.

Organizers hope to get ticket holders discounted or free RTD light rail service so they can easily travel to and from the event without worrying about parking and transportation.

"One hundred years ago we hosted this convention," said Richard Scharf, president of the Metro Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We have it back. We have an opportunity to showcase Denver to the entire world, we're going to be on the world stage. So I would ask all the residents to play a role and be a part of the special occasion."

The Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee said it does not have an official relationship with the festival, but will work to encourage visitors to attend the event and take in the culture.

The committee said there will be other opportunities for visitors to enjoy culture in the city during the convention. Leaders in the Santa Fe art district are encouraging members to be open and welcome convention goers during the entire week.

Jazz & Blues Festival tickets will go on sale Memorial Day, May 26, at www.denverjazzfestival2008.com.

(© MMVIII CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

---