By Katelyn Obermiyer / The Jambar
Until Sept. 1, Wick Park will host Jazz in the Park-Youngstown, led by event president, Jeff Green.
Every Sunday, vendors and audience members gather to listen to a variety of musicians. According to Green, the average attendance can vary between 2,000 to 3,000 people.
“You don’t get on the stage unless you’re a professional,” Green said. “We want high level [talent], so the people grasp it and they want it more.”
The concert series began 31 years ago, as Green explained, initiated by his sister-in-law, Karen Clark Green, who attended Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University.
Jeff Green recalled at the time, the death rate for young people in Youngstown was high, so the creators of the program wanted to create a type of intervention for kids in the summer.
He continued, Karen Clark Green requested that he and his brother play together for the program’s attendees at the end of the session. Afterwards attendees asked when the next concert would occur, which referred to the performance as “Jazz in the Park,” thus the continuation of the event’s name.
“It’s completely driven by donations and sponsors. That’s how we keep [Jazz in the Park] going,” Jeff Green said.
Cheryl Green, Jeff Green’s wife, helps with Jazz in the Park behind-the-scenes, and commented on the generations of attendees.
“We get people of all backgrounds, cultures, age groups… It’s family-oriented,” Cheryl Green said. “What I like, it’s like family — people of all age groups coming together — it generates a respect for everyone in [the] community.”
Julius Oliver, a Youngstown city councilman, said the event benefits local businesses.
“With the amount of people — hundreds of people — being gathered into one place and businesses being able to set up tents and booths, to be able to have a built-in audience while they’re listening to music, I think is the perfect opportunity,” Oliver explained. “It’s the perfect synergy to be able to bring that support for the businesses at the same time you’re being entertained every weekend.”
In preparation for next year’s Jazz in the Park, Jeff and Cheryl Green spoke about creating a curriculum for children interested in music. Alongside their daughter, a trained musician, the couple noted they hope to work with the park department’s summer camp, aiming to “inspire the youth.”
“We want to spark that interest [in children],” Cheryl Green said. “We want to encourage that — that love for music, that discipline, and you know, to express yourself.”
Even with future plans, Jazz in the Park organizers are still focused on the success of this year’s concerts.
“[Attendees] love this. It’s like a big family reunion,” Jeff Green said. “It’s a safe spot… for the people of the [Mahoning] Valley, and beyond. Believe me, people come from all over to Jazz in the Park.”
Admission is free. The last concert this year is set for 3-7 p.m. on Sept. 1 at Wick Park.
For more information, visit Jazz in the Park’s website.