West Harlem Development Corporation (WHDC) and its partners, Harlem Week and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, proudly celebrated the inaugural Harlem Jazz & Music Festival. This much-anticipated music and cultural festival celebrated 17 genres of music, all of which are embedded in the fabled Harlem music and cultural experiences from around the world, ranging from Southern U.S., Caribbean, Latin, Cuban, European, African, Asian and South American roots. Held at the end of August, the festival featured 31 indoor and outdoor events, often packed with standing room only, at 19 venues throughout Harlem.
The Showman’s Jazz Club and Minton’s Playhouse were celebrated as the two remaining world-renowned venues that made Harlem the jazz and music mecca known throughout the world. The festival supported WHDC’s mission of providing economic opportunities and quality of life to sustain a vibrant West Harlem community. In addition to the events themselves, a variety of local vendors offered their products to attendees. West Harlem Development Corporation and its partners anticipate seeing more vendors in the coming years. The well-attended events and positive feedback confirmed that the festival was a first-class experience and successful launch of what is to become a famed brand of music festival and staple of Harlem’s rich culture.
