Saskatchewan Jazz Festival moves to Victoria Park
CTV
The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is on the move.
The SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is on the move.
After more than two decades at the Bessborough Gardens, the festival is moving to Victoria Park from June 30 through July 9.
Executive director Shannon Josdal said the move was necessary to keep the festival running for years to come.
"It's time for some change," she said. "We've got some very strategic goals that we're looking to achieve, and some huge shifts that we're seeing in the live music and the festival industry."
Josdal is excited about what's to come at Victoria Park. While she says she'll miss the iconic scenery of the Bessborough Hotel and its beautiful gardens that have become a pilgrimage of sorts for festival goers, she says the new site will allow them to do so much more.
"With that comes a much larger free program and an expanded festival day pass, so folks will get to see more for their money on that pass under the new model," Josdal said.
Finances and keeping the festival viable have become an issue in recent years, not just for Saskatchewan. The Vancouver Folk Festival decided not to hold a festival this summer, and may never again because of escalating production costs.
