Organizers of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival say “after intensive efforts to deliver a festival this year…it will not be viable from either a business or health safety perspective due to…NY State health guidelines and capacity restrictions.” That means the Jazzfest is off for 2021, as it was last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Producers Mark Iacona and John Nugent say they’re disappointed but will be back next year. They say they’ll be pushing to move forward back in downtown Rochester and also explore expanding the festival in partnership with the Rochester Institute of Technology. Iacona and Nugent had planned to hold the 2021 festival on the RIT campus this year.
The organizers say capacity limits, border closures, reluctance of artists to travel and visas for international talents now invalid have blocked their efforts to produce a festival this year.