After 20 years of entertaining Central Albertans, organizers of The Jazz At The Lake Festival announced Thursday,  that the festival held every year in Sylvan Lake would no longer be returning.

In a statement written by the founders and board members they wrote the following notice:

 It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the Jazz At The Lake Festival will not be returning.

This festival was able to resurrect the rich musical history of Sylvan Lake with the legendary days of the Varsity Hall and the big band dance halls that operated in this community since WW ll.  Sylvan Lake has a unique historical claim to the cultural development of music in Alberta.  We felt that it deserved to be unearthed and treasured. We have done exactly that for 20 years. The town has been home to some of the country’s best jazz artists.  Two-time Juno Award winner P.J. Perry, one of the finest saxophonists in the country, hails from Sylvan Lake.  The late, great Senator Tommy Banks, a world class jazz musician is also a well-known source of pride to the area.  Two of Jazz At The Lake’s founders are internationally recognized jazz musicians and longtime residents of Sylvan Lake.  Jazz At The Lake has helped to bring to the country’s attention no less than 7 artists that have gone on to win or be nominated for Juno’s after being selected to perform at the festival.
 
Thank-you to all our amazing Jazz At The Lake volunteers, festival attendees, local businesses, and generous individuals who have been so instrumental in making this happen over the years.  Made up of like-minded community spirited individuals from civic, business, and artistic enterprises you saw the need and the unique opportunity to create a music festival that would offer live music in a beautiful setting, and in so doing, positively add to the cultural landscape of central Alberta. Our heartfelt gratitude.
 
Special thanks to The Sylvan Lake Heart of Town BRZ organization who was the original and ongoing support organization for JATL, and for their generous contribution to the Town’s new stage.  In future, we hope it will be made available to the non-profit organizations, at a price they can afford, that strive to make Sylvan Lake a more culturally diverse community. We would like to also thank the Alberta Foundation for the Arts for their years of continuous support. Thank you to the Town of Sylvan Lake.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
Cheryl Fisher, Jazz At The Lake Artistic Director, Founder
Eric Allison, Jazz At The Lake Festival Society Board President, Founder
Matt Toonders, Founder
Allan Fisher, Founder (In Memoriam)
Kathy Bradshaw, Treasurer, Festival Manager
Amanda Fitch, Secretary, Assistant Festival Manager
Morgan McKee, Director

Jazz at the lake started in 2003 and ran every year except for a two-year hiatus during COVID-19.

photo of jazz festival signagePhoto courtesy of The Jazz At The Lake Facebook Page