Jazz On The Green finds new home

Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers will host the January Jazz on The Green.

Jazz On The Green brings fantastic jazz, fabulous food and refreshments, fine art, fun activities and a feeling of community to a sophisticated and festive audience that comes from all over the world. Event organizers are also in the initial stages of creating an alliance with downtown Fort Myers and the Edison Festival of Light for 2010.

"We have begun talking to Bobbi Stage, executive director of the Edison Festival of Light, about Jazz On The Green becoming a part of the festival," says Patricia Williams, treasurer/director of Jazz On The Green. "We are planning to solidify this alliance for the 2010 festival."

This year's event run Jan. 16, 17 and 18. It features Grammy Award winner Arturo Sandoval along with Four 80 East with Nils & Shilts, BK Jackson and Wendy Renee.

Organizers of the Jazz on the Green event had to find a new home due to the sudden unavailability of its venue, Estero Community Park, because of Tropical Storm Faye. This in turn created the need to reschedule the event entirely. In the midst of this, headlining act Wayman Tisdale underwent the amputation of his leg as part of his treatment for cancer and has cancelled. "We've definitely been shifted and moved by circumstances beyond our control, but we're seeing something amazing emerge out of all of this," says Renee Bledsoe, vice-chairman of Jazz On The Green, "All of these trials and tribulations may just be leading us to make changes that will ultimately be for the greater good of the event. We definitely feel that the event taking place when there are more tourists here and then possibly aligning with downtown Fort Myers and the Edison Festival, are really positive and exciting developments. These things hold a lot of potential for growth and expansion for all concerned."

Tickets are available online at www. jazzonthegreen.com