San Francisco North Beach Jazz Festival Postponed

Rebirth Brass Band

Due to financial losses, incurred in 2008, the San Francisco North Beach Jazz Festival has been postponed and will not take place during its normal late-July timeframe in 2009. The annual tradition, which has been enjoyed by thousands of music fans from around the world for 14 years, will be taking a one-year hiatus due to monetary losses during the 2008 fest. The one-year pause will give festival organizers, Sunset Promotions, the necessary time to reorganize and re-launch the event on a more sustainable model. To help raise money to offset fiscal losses, benefit concerts will be held at Great American Music Hall on July 24-25 2009 with frequent NBJF headliners Rebirth Brass Band. Purchase tickets for the shows at sunsettickets.com.

The festival has become increasingly more costly since 2005 when the producers changed the configuration in Washington Square Park to appease a minority opposition who opposed alcohol sales. The new configuration cost an average of 40% more to produce while revenues have not kept pace. In addition, the San Francisco Rec. and Park Commission has recently increased their fee requirements to meet massive budget deficits.

Sunset Promotions has worked continuously to produce this San Francisco event and looks forward to turning 15 in 2010. John Miles and Robert Kowal of Sunset are currently working with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Northern Station Police Department, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu to re-engineer the event for a re-launch in 2010.