Why is SJF not canceled?

For 13 years, SJF has been committed to serving YOU - the musicians, music lovers, our venue partners, and our local community. When COVID-19 shutdowns began, the SJF team found ourselves faced with three choices: 1) cancel, 2) postpone, or 3) defiantly go forward, adventuring into unknown territories to bring the best festival we could into these hard times, in whatever way possible. We find ourselves with the unique opportunity to be a beacon of hope, a helping hand, and a good reason to dust off your dancing shoes. So here we are. Join us, won't you?

Who cares about Alaskan musicians?

WE DO! It has always been our mission to support, showcase, inspire, and PAY Alaskan musicians. During these times of distancing, the music industry has taken a massive hit, and there is no end in sight for that hardship. By developing this Hunker Down Edition of Spenard Jazz Fest, we reaffirm our love and support of the Alaskan music scene & know that with YOUR help, we can make a big difference.

(see below to Donate to our SJF COVID-19 Relief Fund to help local musicians' through these very difficult financial times)

Okay, but who cares about Alaskan venues and businesses?

WE DO THAT TOO! Many of Alaska's local businesses are also being affected by shutdowns due to COVID-19. As they are an integral part of both the music ecosystem and our local economies, we at SJF wanted to find a way to help these businesses too, not just here in Anchorage, or even just in Alaska. As this year's virtual format breaks borders we are partnering with bars, restaurants, and other local businesses in each of the communities from which this year's SJF artists are streaming. From Homer to Boise, Juneau to New York City, Talkeetna to New Orleans (and of course right here in Anchorage), SJF is partnering to bring business to some of the best local joints by sending YOU, the loyal supporters, there to get your take-out before our shows. In the same way that we would all be sharing a meal at a venue, in this way, many of us can share in this communal experience, despite our physical separation.

Fine, but does SJF care about me?

Of course, we do! Whether you're a musician, music lover, or business partner, we care about you. Whether this year is your first time attending SJF or your 13th, we care about you. When we started planning for this year's Fest, we had no idea what was about to happen, but over the past weeks, the SJF team has put countless hours into creating a safe, flexible, enjoyable experience for everyone to enjoy. Now, more than ever, we could all use a bit of music, love, and connection, and that is what Spenard Jazz Fest is all about. 

How does a virtual festival even work?

From right here on our website, under the 13th Annual Festival page, you will see tabs for each of SJF's THREE weeks (ex. Week 1), as they are announced. From there, you will find both a list of all that week's artists and all that week's events. Click on your desired event, pay for your ticket (or tickets, since you CAN pay for multiple tickets for different shows at the same time!), and you will be sent information about how you will be able to join us for the show (or shows!). 

What does it cost to attend SJF 2020 Hunker Down Edition?

Many of our individual event tickets (especially in this first week) are $10. Others are free. In fact, to kick off the festival, EVERYTHING in our first weekend (May 16-17) is FREE! Later in the second and third weeks of the festival, we will be hosting some virtual events aimed to emulate our regular house-concert environments. Tickets to those events will cost somewhere in the $25-$35 range (set by the Host), as those events are meant to be intimate in nature, and thus will be at more of a premium. But, SJF has a lot of great stuff in store for this year's festival (and beyond) so why not just Become a Member of Spenard Jazz Fest today (or renew your previous Membership!)? Member perks include 100% off ALL SJF EVENTS FOR THE NEXT 365 DAYS (from the purchase date), fun prizes, and more! UPDATE: SJF has now set-up a Virtual Member's Club, right here on the website. Buy the membership and see what all is in store for you. Again, just send proof of purchase to spenardjazz@gmail.com.

We do ask that you consider is the fact that the goal of this festival is to support local musicians and local places of business. If you were at a pre-COVID show, you would pay the door or ticket fee for all of the people in your household. With SJF, you are only paying for one screen. If you are financially able and willing, please consider donating an additional bit of $ to our SJF COVID-19 Relief Fund to help support our musicians. 

--------------------------------------------------------