Montclair Jazz, Film Fests Capture ‘People’s Choice' Awards

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A Montclair arts icon is creating its own dynasty, recently capturing its third straight “People’s Choice Award” for its annual jazz festival.

Montclair-based nonprofit Jazz House Kids – which spearheads the Montclair Jazz Festival – was cited for hosting the “Favorite Music Festival” by JerseyArts.com for 2020. It’s the third year in a row the group has snagged the top honor.

According to JerseyArts:

“The annual Montclair Jazz Festival is the biggest single one-day event in Montclair. Produced by Jazz House Kids and directed by bass virtuoso Christian McBride, the festival features world-class artistry in a family-friendly environment. Attended by thousands of music fans, the ‘no tickets required’ event features internationally renowned jazz headliners and the talented students from Jazz House Kids.”

See the full list of awardees via JerseyArts.com.

Jazz House Kids staff wrote about the honor:

“We're all about bringing community together to make music, and being voted the Garden State's favorite music festival would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors and partners led by the Bravitas Group/Silver Family Foundation, Montclair Township, the County of Essex and the State of New Jersey, community organizations, multiple event venues, in-kind supporters, our dedicated festival team, volunteers and many, many friends and fans.”

The 2020 Montclair Jazz Festival grand finale is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Aug. 10. Several other events are planned leading up to grand finale. Learn more here.

OTHER AWARDS FOR MONTCLAIR’S ARTS COMMUNITY

JerseyArts also paid tribute to some other staples of the Montclair arts community with this year’s People’s Choice Awards.

“Favorite Film Festival” - Montclair Film Festival

According to JerseyArts: “The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) exists to nurture and showcase the talents of filmmakers from around the world. The annual festival creates a cultural focal point in the Township of Montclair that unites, empowers, educates, and celebrates our region’s diverse community and robust artistic heritage.”

“Favorite Visual Arts Camp” - Montclair Art Museum SummerART Camp

According to JerseyArts: “Through its eight-week SummerART Camp, the Montclair Art Museum’s Yard School of Art offers an extensive summer arts program for adults, children, and teens. Perfect for keeping children cool and creative during their summer break, the camp has a wide selection of fun classes and activities, ranging from cartooning, 3D animation, and LEGO Robotics to painting, sculpture, and jewelry making, to claymation, digital movie-making, and group sculpture.”

“Favorite Downtown Arts District”

According to JerseyArts: “Nestled at the foot of the First Watchung Mountain, Montclair's vibrant downtown is flush with restaurants, movie theaters, shop, and nightlife that attract visitors from all over the region. The region is known for its arts community, which includes Montclair Film Festival, Montclair Jazz Festival, Studio Montclair, Opera Theatre of Montclair, and more.”

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