"The Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz, as it was originally known, grew out of a search by the Gresham Chamber of Commerce for an annual event that would give the fast-growing city an identity and draw tourists to the area."
"By 1986, it drew 20,000 for the weekend and boasted 300 volunteers; by 1990, that number had grown to 700. It routinely sold out and generated $7 million for Gresham area businesses in 1989 alone."
"In 2002, facing a deficit of $100,000, the Festival Board canceled that year's event, declared bankruptcy, and dissolved. A mighty volunteer effort by Gresham jazz fans helped a reconstituted Board stage annual single-day concerts in various city locations."
"In 2019, they gave the rights to the Music Department at MHCC, where the festival was reborn. This time, it's bigger than it's been since 2001, and it's scheduled to run April 22-26."
The Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz began in 1982, attracting up to 30,000 attendees at its peak. It was created to establish an identity for Gresham and draw tourists. The festival featured renowned jazz artists and was modeled after the Monterey Jazz Festival. However, in 2002, financial difficulties led to its cancellation and bankruptcy. A volunteer effort revived it with single-day concerts until 2014, when it ceased. In 2019, the rights were transferred to the Music Department at MHCC, leading to its revival and growth.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
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