Based on an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus pandemic and keeping the public’s safety as a top priority, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) has decided to postpone the 43rd annual Atlanta Jazz Festival previously scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 24. Organizers are currently exploring alternative dates to hold the festival in 2020.

“This was a very challenging decision as the Atlanta Jazz Festival is a time honored and treasured tradition,” said OCA Executive Director Camille Love. “And while Memorial Day weekend falls beyond the shelter-in-place timeframe, large gatherings are still being discouraged. With 150,000 attendees typically attending our event in Piedmont Park, we thought it best to find other dates later this year,” she added.

Other festival programming has also been affected by the postponement, including canceling the May 22 India.Arie concert and the May 23 Late Night Jazz Jam, featuring the Irreversible Entanglements.

On a brighter note, the OCA is creating a new program called “Atlanta Jazz Festival Sessions,” which will not only celebrate the 31 Days of Jazz in May, but also give a specially-curated list of Atlanta jazz artists the opportunity to perform virtually for thousands of viewers via the Atlanta Jazz Festival social media platforms. More details will be provided soon.