Lansing JazzFest facts for kids
The Lansing JazzFest is a fun and free music festival. It happens every summer in Lansing, Michigan. This festival celebrates jazz music. You can hear many talented musicians here. They come from all over the country and even from Lansing itself.
About 15,000 people visit the festival each year. They come to enjoy the music over the weekend.
History of the JazzFest
The Lansing JazzFest started in 1995. It was created by the Old Town Business and Art Development Association. They learned that music festivals are a great way to bring people to Old Town Lansing. They had already created another successful event called OctoberFest.
A local radio station, 89.7 WLNZ, helped start the festival. They were the first media sponsor. A local company called Message Makers was the first business sponsor. In the early years, local musicians played for free. Many volunteers from the community also helped out. About 4,000 to 5,000 people attended back then.
The Lansing JazzFest has grown steadily. More people have attended it every year since it began. It is the only festival in mid-Michigan to do this.
Recent Changes to the Festival
In 2020, the live shows were cancelled. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the festival planned a special online show. This virtual event took place in September 2020.
