Fillmore Jazz Festival back on after crypto billionaire steps in to help
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — First it was off, now it's on again. The 2025 Fillmore Jazz Festival will take place as planned after a crypto billionaire philanthropist came to the long-running festival's aid.
Last week, festival organizers announced the festival was canceled this year due to financial reasons. According to festival organizers, city fees, talent, security, medical support, staffing and city-mandated standard operating procedures pushed the event's budget to well over $500,000.
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The festival, which is held for two days over Fourth of July weekend, was effectively on hold until 2026 as of last week. However, following news of the cancellation, Timothy Made' Omi, president of the Fillmore Merchant Association, said he was contacted by a representative of Chris Larsen and Avenue Greenlight. Larsen, founder of the crypto company Ripple, 'generously stepped in to offer the financial support' needed to bring the festival back, Omi said.
'I am thrilled to announce that the 2025 Fillmore Jazz Festival is officially back on and will take place July 5th and 6th,' Omi said.
While festival organizers say that support from Larsen and Avenue Greenlight will be enough to produce this year's festival, they are still seeking support to maintain it over the long term. A GoFundMe has been launched to keep the Fillmore Jazz Festival Alive.
Through the nonprofit, Avenue Greenlight, Larsen has previously donated $2 million to support San Francisco's struggling retail districts.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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