Brief history of the Festival

The Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival was created in 2008 by adding a new dimension to the successful Jazz in the Square international jazz festival. It provides the Central New York region, popular summer tourism hub for the Finger Lakes, Thousand Island and Adirondack regions, with a signature summer cultural tourism event, now an anchor festival of “Syracuse Artsweek”, a festival of performing and visual arts festivals with the same goal.

In 2002, Jazz in the Square was originally created in response to overwhelming public opinion indicating that the City of Syracuse, NY needed a downtown jazz festival designed to support the city's culture and economy. It remains unique in that it was created and produced by a not-for-profit regional performing arts organization, the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation, the region's primary year-round producer of jazz events in concert, cabaret, scholastic and festival settings (see www.cnyjazz.org and www.jazzartsinstitute.org). Each year it is designed to maximize appeal and participation by many community constituencies, with emphasis on downtown merchants and residents, urban youth, and African-American and Latino communities.

The Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival presents jazz in all its forms with the goal of providing a highly enjoyable and meaningful exposure to the art form to experienced and new listeners of all ages. The music will always be fun for all and it will always be free.