HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point tradition has been canceled due to the coronavirus. The organizers of the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival announced the festival will not be held in 2020 due to COVID-19.
The two-day event would have marked the 10th anniversary of the festival. It is now slated to take place September 4-5 in 2021, organizers said.
In the announcement release, Friends of John Coltrane, Inc. went on to thank the people who spent their time to organize and plan this year's event, despite its cancellation.
“We spent a lot of hours considering how we would present the festival in a way that would protect you, our festival attendees, as well as our staff, volunteers, vendors, sponsors and performing artists," a statement from the festival's website read, "It was difficult for us to consider holding an event on the scale of the Coltrane Jazzfest and maintain the necessary social distancing protocols.”
The Friends of John Coltrane, Inc. said they will still judge the Student Instrument Contest and announce winners. Additionally, awards and prizes will still be presented to winners of the contests. The entry deadline is July 25, 2020. All entries must be submitted online at the festival website under “Student Contest” at www.coltranejazzfest.com.