One of Prairie Village’s largest annual events could be making a comeback after a two-year hiatus.
Jazz Fest, a jazz music festival hosted by Prairie Village each fall, is scheduled for Sept. 10, 2022. The 2020 and 2021 events were canceled due to COVID-19.
Councilmember Dave Robinson, the Jazz Fest committee liaison, told the city council on Feb. 7 that the committee is still working on details for the 2022 event, including a potential lineup of performers.
“It is the intent of the committee to produce a live event this year, having people in-person,” Robinson said. “The fact we’ve had to postpone the last two has really left this committee very well-prepared.”
Robinson said the committee is trying to re-secure the 2021 lineup which was already in place last year before the city opted to cancel the event due to a late-summer surge in cases fueled by the Delta variant.
That prospective list of performers featured saxophonist and UMKC Conservatory professor Adam Larson and the Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights.
The 2022, if it happens, will be held held at Harmon Park, Robinson said.
The committee lost about $16,000 after canceling the 2021 event three weeks before its scheduled Sept. 11 date.
Still, the committee’s chair previously said that the deposit for the stage and technical equipment can be applied to the 2022 event.
Robinson said despite the previous cancellations, the committee believes the event will be well-attended. Mayor Eric Mikkelson agreed.
“That is likely to be the most anticipated Jazz Fest ever, Dave, so we’re excited about that,” Mikkelson said.
