HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—After a year of virtual events, the city of Hartford is celebrating the return of the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz as an in-person event this summer at Bushnell Park.
The city is looking to make this summer a memorable one with many opportunities to engage with the community, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said, and Jazz Fest is one of them.
"The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz is the largest free jazz festival in New England and one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country," Bronin said.
Last year, Jazz Fest was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Bronin, Connecticut's high vaccination rate, the outdoor setting and lifted restrictions make the festival possible this summer.
However, Bronin said COVID-19 data and transmission numbers will be closely monitored as the weekend of the festival approaches.
"At the extent that there's any requirements that need to be put in place for spacing or capacity limits, we'll do that. We're going to always be guided by the science. We're going to always put safety first," he said.
With the theme of this year's festival being "A Time for Hope," the event will feature local and national performers.
The event is free. It's being held at Bushnell Park from July 16 to July 18. For more details, visit hartfordjazz.org.