Archive

Blues and Jazz Festival sees over 40,000 attendees, sets record

June 17, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

The numbers are in and this year’s Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival was the biggest yet.

The three-day event, which ran June 3-5, saw over 40,000 attendees, representing a 10 per cent increase in attendance over 2019, when the festival was held last.

“We are pleased to share that the festival exceeded previous records in almost all areas and this certainly represents our most successful year to date,” said Josh Leitch, festival president. “This unprecedented success represents something that the entire community experienced, in record numbers, and enthusiastically shared with others.”

While the financials are still being assessed and finalized and attendee intercept surveys are still being tabulated, Leitch shared what organizers are hearing about the 2022 Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival.

“The relocation of the Local Stars tent from the TD parking lot to a proper stage on Broadway was extremely well received and this coupled with the reinstatement of the New Orleans-style march on Saturday Downtown Ramble, resulted in significantly more people taking advantage of Broadway as an integrated event space for the Festival,” Leitch noted. “We were advised by one local business that they experienced a high volume of business exceeded only by Christmas shopping levels.”

He told the Citizen the feedback from festival attendees has been positive and they’re still hearing from folks who enjoy the variety of programming and events offered over the three-day event.

“It’s always been a great festival but the vibe this year was distinctly celebratory,” wrote Dylan Paul Wickens on social media. “Thanks to the many volunteers and wonderful music fans.”

Leitch said he’d like to thank everyone who attended and volunteered to make the 2022 Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival such a success.

“We appreciate and recognize the members of the OBIA and the Town’s services who play such a major role in co-hosting the festival by ensuring a first-class and well-run visitor experience,” he lauded.

Readers Comments (0)