News Release - 2012 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival to Feature Debut of “Jazz Street Extension”

City of Rochester
News Release


(Tuesday, March 20, 2012) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards announced Tuesday that the City will expand the temporary pedestrian mall created for the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival to include a portion of East Main Street adjacent to the stretch of Gibbs Street that is dubbed “Jazz Street” during the festival.

“In just 10 years, the Jazz Festival has evolved into one of the nation’s most respected and popular music festivals, which is putting Rochester on the international map of places to go and things to do,” said Mayor Richards. “When the festival’s organizers came to us with an idea to literally grow the festival’s foot print, we were happy to help them. I want to thank the City’s Special Events staff and Rochester Police Department for working with the Jazz Festival to make this improvement possible.”

“With the festival’s continuous growth and popularity we are pleased that the City of Rochester is accommodating this growth with this additional street closing. It will make it much easier for people to walk to the venues in that area,” said Marc Iacona, the festival’s producer and executive director.

Festival Producer John Nugent announces lineupThe 2012 Jazz Festival, now in its 11th year, will run from June 22 through 30 and feature more than 300 concerts at 18 venues within a short walk from the corner of East Main Street and Gibbs Street. More than 180,000 people are expected to attend the event.

The City will continue its financial sponsorship of the festival this year with a $175,000 grant to support free outdoor concerts that make the festival accessible to all city residents.

New this year, the temporary pedestrian mall -- or Jazz Street -- on Gibbs Street between East Avenue and East Main Street will be extended during evening hours across East Main Street between Chestnut and Scio streets. This new “Jazz Street Extension” will significantly alleviate crowding on Gibbs Street and improve pedestrian flow between the venues north and south of Main Street.

Mayor Richards announced the extension after joining the festival organizers at a news conference where the 2012 artist lineup was revealed.

The City will issue a Motorist Advisory before the start of the festival to provide detailed information regarding detours to accommodate the road closure.

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News Media: For more information, contact Gary Walker at 428-7405.

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