On Sept. 28 from 2-5 p.m., Jazz in Central Park is back in Louisville. The new date comes after a dustup between a Louisville Metro Council member and the event’s longtime organizer.
The artists lineup will include performances by Bashiri Asad, Maestro J, Darnell “Classik” Levine and Dimestore Dandy and will be co-hosted by local poet and filmmaker Robin G, according to an announcement from District 6 Council Member J.P. Lyninger’s office.
Last month, Lyninger was unsure of the music festival’s future, following a communication debacle between Lyninger and the event's former organizer, Vessel Management.
In July, Vessel Management posted a flyer on Facebook claiming Jazz in Central Park was postponed until 2026. The company had, until this year, produced the festival for the last decade.
Lyninger’s office — which said it was unaware of this decision at the time — responded with a post saying that Jazz in Central Park would happen in 2025 and was rescheduled for late September without Vessel Management’s help.
The exchange left some community members confused. Lyninger told LPM News at the time that several loyal festival attendees contacted his office wanting to help bring the event back this year.
"I'd like to share a big thank you to community members for stepping up to make this year's event a success,” Lyninger said in a press release last week.
He said Jazz in Central may be smaller than festivals in the past due to a smaller budget, but he is encouraging local businesses and food vendors to contribute to this year’s celebration.
