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Norwalk: Jazz Festival Is Going On Today


by turfgrrl


June 23rd, 2007 · 38 Comments

I walked over to check it out. The Norwalk High School band was just playing their set. Looks like plenty of people are strolling on in, if you don’t have tickets you can pay at the gate. Great day to sit outside and enjoy some jazz with the Norwalk harbor as a backdrop.

Mayoral candidate Scott Merrill was busy trying to get petitions signed to get a spot on the ballot. He wanted to get in for free but he was told that it was a ticketed event. I’m not sure why he would attempt to get petitions at a music festival. While plenty of people would sign it, you have to be registered to vote in Norwalk for the signature to count.

Nearby parking lots are on Water and Washington streets, those are privately operated, small and fill up fast. Webster lot and the maritime garage are also close and the festival itself is providing free parking and a shuttle service. For more info:

http://www.norwalkjazzfestival.com/parking.html

and for more info about the jazz festival:

http://www.norwalkjazzfestival.com/

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

38 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: Jazz Festival Is Going On Today”


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  • 1 Jasmine Bullard // Jun 23, 2007 at 6:56 pm

    Trying to get a ticket for free?

    I got to tell you some people have no level of self respect that they will not lower themselves to.

    I do not even know the guy, but he wants to solicit during a concert, that folks want to enjoy.

    Maybe some of the HOMELESS BAG PEOPLE could also get free tickets and go in and pester people for small change, and go through the garbage bins for cans.

    God! Some people have no self respect at all.

  • 2 anonymous // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:03 pm

    Too bad it seems like a flop. Only a couple of hundred people showed up.

  • 3 anon // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:25 pm

    It wasn’t a flop-I talked to several of the staff and they told me all VIP seats were sold out by 10am. and there were many hundreds of people throughout the day. I stayed until 9:30 myself. As a matter of fact it is still going on with a good crowd still in attendance..It was well run and everyone had a great time. The food vendors were excellent. Both High School ensembles were great and the groups that played were well recieved. Many said they hope this will continue next year as it is great to see this type of affair in Norwalk. I thoroughly enjoyed it albeit a bit of a sun burn because I hated to leave. I think next year they should advertise to a broader audience because this could turn out to be a fantastic plus in Norwalk for a relaxing family event. The nice thing was the size of the crowd at any given time was not overwhelming and no one felt uncomfortable. People came and went at their leisure, some walking over to Sono for a bite to eat and then trickled back afterwards. All in all I would have to say it was a nice event.

  • 4 East Norwalk Native // Jun 23, 2007 at 10:46 pm

    I have to remember that name so I don’t vote for him if he gets on the ballot.

    No respect for people who try to use their “position” to push their way in without paying…I think that’s called stealing.

  • 5 Katie Shannon // Jun 24, 2007 at 7:01 am

    I think that if it is continued to be held in the future it will bring in larger attendance numbers. I am sure that as it goes on the bugs will be worked out. The problem is can the income overcome the expense?

  • 6 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 9:28 am

    The Advocate said 250 people attended. A far cry from the promoter’s claims of 20,000.

    What happened? Could it be that nobody was interested? Claims of inappropriate wheeling and dealing? Incompetent marketing? Talent nobody was interested in? Accusations of hijacking the Jackie Robinson benefit gig?

    Sure got enough PR through the local media.

  • 7 Anonymous // Jun 24, 2007 at 11:13 am

    The advocate is wrong on that point. There may have been about 250 people at one time but there was much more than that over the course of the day, perhaps the oyster festival and any other ongoing event should have closed their doors after the first event, a first event is a learning experience and gives organizers a chance to iron out the kinks. Perhaps if you had been there you would have spoken to those who went and gotten their reaction. They thoroughly enjoy the music and the ambience. people were coming and going all day, we got our hands stamped so we could wander down to Sono if we liked and then come back. The only problem I saw was the wait for the bridge to open and close throughout the day. All in all it was a good time and I hope it continues.

  • 8 Concerned Citizen // Jun 24, 2007 at 3:19 pm

    I think the First Norwalk Jazz Festival was a hit from those who I talked to who attended. Great Job Herb Grant. You helped to promote Norwalk in professional manner and hopefully this will grow into a Major Norwalk Attraction in the years to come.

  • 9 Katie Shannon // Jun 24, 2007 at 4:58 pm

    It is a tough nut to crack, lower the price and get more folks in. Then you have many who might not be interested in music, but just to loiter around and/or cause trouble. If I remember the Oyster Fest had it’s profit problems in the beginning and solved them. Now they seem to be rearing their ugly heads again because people just cannot afford to go with a few kids pay entrance and then get hit for food. Also the vollenteers are no longer as easy to get as they once were. Discretionary income is just not there like it was before. I am not a jazz fan. but I might be interested in an Oldies But Goddies Councert, by the original groups. Money expense/profit thats a tough nut to crack today.

    I guess a lot of folks got their new tax bills this weekend and it shocked them into staying home, or put them in intensive care.

  • 10 Mr Greenpeace // Jun 24, 2007 at 5:18 pm

    gee I wonder how these people do it?

    http://scituatechamber.org/events_heritage.html

  • 11 Mr Greenpeace // Jun 24, 2007 at 5:28 pm

    I know they have a lot of things in common with Norwalk they are smaller but everyone is involved, but the thing that actually stands out is its free,

    The food is very reasonable and all the vendors are local..the local shop owners are considered participants.

    Coming home from the air show in RI last night we stopped downtown Providence another place that could be looked at in regrads to a city with involvement,,
    http://www.waterfire.org If you don’t make it a unique experience the crowds will go elsewhere .

  • 12 Anonymous // Jun 25, 2007 at 10:09 am

    Mr. Greenpeace, it looks like this festival is run by an army of volunteers, making it a non-profit. These kind of events, like the Sono Arts Festival, get the community behind them more easily than a for-profit event like the Norwalk Jazz Festival. Not to mention the $50 ticket price to benefit our councilman’s family. They are claiming that some of the profits? will go to charity, but no transparency is required with a business, so who will know?

  • 13 attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 10:21 am

    Just so you know, the Norwalk Jazz Festival was staffed with more volunteers than paid people. The only people there that weren’t volunteers were the police, the bus drivers, and the top acts(They were excellent by the way). The vendors were local establishments and the food was reasonably priced and quite good. There could have been more vendors but for a first time event everything went smoothly. The cost for the event is no more than the Jackie Robinson Festival charge in their time. If you went to or went by the festival, those people you saw in the green and yellow shirts were in fact VOLUNTEERS. They kept everything running smoothly and clean throughout the day and they were courteous and helpful. They should be commended for their involvement in helping to bring a new event to Norwalk. Apparently they thought it was worth their while to participate.

  • 14 high road // Jun 25, 2007 at 10:54 am

    Hmmm…if the event was a sale run by Lillian August for the profit of Lilian August, would it be OK for them to have volunteers doing the work? Or would you think that a private business should pay people for doing work that accrues to the profitability of the business? Seems to me that the volunteer labor simply allowed Mr. Grant’s company to pocket more of the profits (although from that light attendace, there probaby wasn’t a lot of profit.) I hope at least the acts and the city services — police, etc. — were paid out of the income from the Gate. I hope the sponsors feel they got their money’s woirth, though I didn’t see a lot of advertising, signs, or banners that delivered on the promised publicty. Maybe I just missed it…

  • 15 Mr Greenpeace // Jun 25, 2007 at 11:12 am

    I do understand posting #12, and i agree there was top acts at the fest.

    My link to the Scituate event shows like the waterfire link a place on the front pages that invite volunteer’s.I would of helped myself if not for the closed door type receiving I felt when I appoached the organizers here in Norwalk.

    With the way gas prices and inflation on the rise I would think all the events all the business’s and all the organizations in town would get together and have something all at the same time.From what I read from others everything is on the decline from attendance to profit margin at the events in Norwalk.

    Your right get the community behind an event and take the cost of ticket away and you have a crowd..The chamber of Commerance here in Norwalk could take lessons fron other cities and embrace non paying members, business’s that have a lot to offer than the price of a membership.

    It worked in Scituate, a lot of places don’t belong to the chamber there but they realized the chamber needed the entire town to participate so they put there differnaces aside and did away with that line in the sand and to this day run one fine event as a entire town.It took politics to mend the fence i know I owned a business on front street for years.

    New ideas for old ways , new ideas for old politics seems to be a route we all need to look at.

    I gues the problem I had with the fest was not cosmetic it was the mere fact the condition of our streets and the quality of life. and the only thing I could relate to was Jackie Robinson ,,his daughter was my wifes midwife at Norwalks hospital.

    I am glad the event went without incident, and they had the weather with them,,yes I am still supportive but cannot sway from seeing something better for Norwalk.

    submitted with respect and thanks to the fest organizers and volunteers

  • 16 Annonymous // Jun 25, 2007 at 1:18 pm

    Lower prices and at least one known headliner would have helped the gate a lot. Also, the marketing was too little and too late. Must start earlier and smarter.
    My knowledgeable jazz friends were not interested in coming for that lineup and pay $40 or $50.
    Did you know that it cost less to go to the New Orleans Jazz Festival and they have at least 6 or 7 stages playing all day long, over two weekends? Their gate each day is $35. And they have a fabulous lineup of musicians in several categories of jazz.

  • 17 attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 1:37 pm

    #16-Good thoughts, hopefully the organizers are reading this and will take some advice away with them but as an earlier poster said, the first event is always a learning experience. I met several people from NY while there and they were excited to see the performers because they had seen them before but also said there wasn’t enough media attention to get the people motivated. Next year I am sure those in charge will have learned and will incorporate many suggestions from those who were there this year.

  • 18 Anonymous // Jun 25, 2007 at 2:43 pm

    I’ve worked as a volunteer for many for profit events, like sporting events. This is not an unusual thing. What is unusual is that people on this blog keep harping about the fact it was a for-profit music event. Apparently you don’t go to municipal stadiums, paid for by tax payers, or public parks where music events are staged by huge corporate promoters. What would you be saying if it were clear channel instead of Herb Grant? No wait, you’d be saying that someone cut clear channel a deal and was getting kick backs or something.

  • 19 attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    #18-more good points-but you have to realize that the bashing started because people jusyt need to find fault and will go to any lengths to discredit those who want to do something that will enhance the city and its taxpayers. But such is life and we can’t stop people from saying what they choose.

  • 20 Anonymous // Jun 25, 2007 at 2:48 pm

    OK, let’s blame the failure for the event on the people who post on this blog. Hopefully if they’re all nice next year’s event will be a smash hit.

  • 21 high road // Jun 25, 2007 at 2:51 pm

    #18, And if the CEO of Clear Channel were an elected public official, that’s exactly what I would be saying.

  • 22 Mr Greenpeace // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:07 pm

    Never did I bash Mr Grant or his family or whatever party he belongs to. I never said anything about the profits or the band selection or even the rental of Vets park.My continued rant of the safety and the environment was the only thing I added to any thread to this blog . (Maybe I suggested a band from Norwalk)

    The closest I got to the park to see what was happening was to the launch accross the river at the police marine dock to deliver gallons of HI C to the firefighters who asked for something to drink when they spent 8 hours out on the Island to fight the fire.I did this as a private citizen and a firefighter what goes around comes around Jakes rule!

    I didn’t have a problem doing that there was no line to get to the launch for that. One of my sons came along to see what good deeds do made him feel good he said ,,See when people think of the posters out here they think we all hate the city, and to be honest with you the ones who post that kind of thought really don’t care about the ones who could use the the help…oh wait only some of the finger pointing posters think that .

    So what did you do for our men and ladies of public safety or public works dept today? then complain about me i am.

    Mr Greenpeace

  • 23 attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:15 pm

    Mr. Greenpeace-the post I made was not aimed at you but all that posted on this site and bashed Mr. Grant. You sir post with knowledge and dignity, you bring to light things that need to be discussed. I applaud you for what you did for the firefighters. Wouldn’t it be great if all those who wish to discredit would spend some of that energy doing deeds that benefit instead of destroy?

  • 24 Attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:27 pm

    There were no more, I repeat no more than 500-660 tickets sold and the VIP area was more than half empty all day. By the time Michel Camilo (probably the greatest pianist on the planet) came out at 9:45 p.m. there may have been 50 people total there. I felt horrible for the musicians. If this festival is back next year I will be stunned.

  • 25 attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:37 pm

    Again, it was the first year and alot of kinks need to be ironed out. Let me ask you, did you enjoy the music? If it is bigger and more widely advertised will you go again? I would! Think about it, if you bought the tickets online it was $40, the price also included children under 12 for free. Now look at other events that you take your children to, most times its children under 3 admitted free so, if your children are 4 and above, the admission is lets say $10 each, you have 2 kids and 2 adults, thats $40, then you pay for rides, and food and trinkets to bring home that you are going to throw away just as soon as the kids forget about them. Lets add all of that up and see what 3-4 hours costs you at the Oyster festival each year. Yes, it would have been great if there were more people but those of us that did attend thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

  • 26 Mr Greenpeace // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    thank you #23 for compliments given, they are sent back to you knowing you would of been next to me on the dock if you had known,,

    The Norwalk fire dept stepped up to the plate and helped out the Boston Fire dept and their families in time of need,,and no one from Boston Fire department will ever forget what Norwalk fire dept did.

    . The Boston Fire just had services for the nine who died back in 1972 at the Vendome hotel fire days before
    the recent fire down south took another 9 men. Its odd how history repeats itself so yes firefighters in my household are always thought of..they are always the first in and last out..

  • 27 music lover // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:51 pm

    I sincerely hope that Mr. Grant is a better councilman than he is a music promoter. First let me congratulate him and those of you who supported the festival for the right reasons. Second, let me also say that each of you who criticized the appearance of a councilman also being the promoter had every right to. But, you are sadly deluded in thinking that events like these are pulled off solely as non profit events and that those with even the most charitable of intentions aren’t rife with political influence peddling. They all are. Just ask yourselves why Jodi Rell was so eager to send solicitation letters to all the arts organizations for her campaign. Or ask yourselves why Jennifer Aniskovich wife of Bill Aniskovich headed the state arts commission under Rowland.

  • 28 Anonymous // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:54 pm

    Boy, that post by itself will definitely guarantee that the Jazz Festival next year will flop…

  • 29 Attendee // Jun 25, 2007 at 3:57 pm

    How much are we betting that Damon Grant is on the bill next year if there is a festival? What did you think DMG stands for? By the way #25, how many 4 year olds do you think can last from noon until 10:30 p.m.? If I paid for a ticket to see the headliners I’d never get to.

  • 30 high road // Jun 25, 2007 at 4:05 pm

    Let me be clear. There are two things in play with the Jazz Festival. One is the event itself. While it may not have gotten the attendance it should have, it WAS a first year and — except for Mr. Grant’s inlfated estimates and grandiose promises — that’s really no big deal.

    The second thing is conflict of interest. Did Herb Grant use his office to get favors (donations, sponsorhsips, police and city services, volunteers,etc.) that might not have been available to a business not owned by a Councilman? Using his office to get business for his company is a clear violation of ethics. Now that IS a big problem.

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