S.F.'s Fillmore Jazz Festival draws thousands after financial rescue, but uncertainty remains
The San Francisco festival, founded in 1986, was nearly canceled this year due to insurmountable operating costs. Each year it takes about $400,000 to put on the two-day free event, and by this April, the Fillmore Merchants Association was still in debt from last year, according to President Tim Omi.
That month, the association announced it would be canceling this year's festival due to lack of funding. But just a few days later, Omi received a call from Avenue Greenlight, a nonprofit founded by crypto billionaire Chris Larsen that funds free community events in San Francisco.
An undisclosed grant from Avenue Greenlight, plus support from District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill and District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, made it possible to hold this year's event, Omi said.
The festival filled 10 blocks of Fillmore Street, from Jackson Street south to Eddy Street, with dozens of vendors and live music stretching from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.
'It's great, except that the street is angled, so it's a challenge dancing,' Hong said.
The two experienced dancers, both in their 70s, researched each of the festivals' acts ahead of time to decide which would have the best music to dance to.
Before Saturday, Hong had not heard about the festival's funding challenges. But he said he believes more money should be put into arts events, such as the festival, to bring people together at a time when many feel divided.
Alma Love, 79, said she has come to the jazz festival for the past 20 years both to enjoy the music and to meet new people.
Between acts, she browsed the variety of vendors, her attention catching on a booth selling purses shaped like clocks and jars of peanut butter.
Love said she was glad the festival found a way to secure funding without charging attendees, keeping it accessible to all.
The festival continues Sunday with Kenny Washington, Zepparella, the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble and the Caribbean All-Stars.
Omi is planning for the festival to return in 2026, but it will require a renewed search for financial support because the funding from Avenue Greenlight was only a one-time grant. The merchants association is soliciting corporate sponsors for next year and collecting money through GoFundMe, he said.
Omi is also hoping that the city will consider changing its fees and requirements to make it less burdensome for community groups to host free events in the city. For example, it cost the festival around $23,000 to comply with a city requirement to have separate cans for trash, recycling and compost — more than the fine it would pay if it just didn't comply, Omi said. There are also costs to reroute Muni bus routes around the street closures, he added.
These events attract crowds that patronize both the booths set up along the street and the existing brick and mortar retail and restaurants.
'I think all street fairs in San Francisco, in order to continue, we need to come together as a city and identify that this adds value,' Omi said. 'We're bringing in close to 30,000 on the commercial corridor a day on a weekend that normally everyone leaves.'
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