The Taichung Jazz Festival is the latest casualty of COVID-19.
City officials announced the cancelation of this year’s festival, which typically attracts upwards of 1 million spectators over a 10-day period each October.
“It’s impossible this year,” said Hsiao Jing-ping (蕭靜萍), head of performing arts for the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau. “We just didn’t have a choice.”
Photo courtesy of Taichung City Government
Difficulty getting overseas jazz musicians into the country coupled with concerns over large crowd size, forced organizers to cancel the festival, Hsiao said. The decision was made earlier this summer, she added.
The festival, which would have celebrated its 18th year, has grown into one of Asia’s largest. Last year’s event brought together more than 50 jazz groups performing throughout Taichung.
Hordes of spectators typically pack Civic Square (市民廣場主舞臺) to see local and international jazz groups, including Grammy and Golden Melody Award winning artists.
With the festival’s cancelation, organizers said they hoped others would help give local jazz musicians a venue to perform.
In order to further help promote jazz in the city, the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau is cooperating with Compass Magazine, which hosts an annual weekend music festival.
This year’s Compass festival is set to take place in mid October. While jazz fans might be disappointed, Hsiao said she was optimistic that the Taichung Jazz Festival would return for 2021.
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