I went to the DAJF yesterday for the first time in at least a couple of years. It seems that the main jazz stage has been moved to the northwest corner of the park. The prior location of the jazz stage has been renamed to Courtyard Stage. My understanding is that this was done to better conform to fire codes. Apparently the old location, with all its trees, hills, twists and turns presents a challenge if there is an emergency requiring serious equipment or personnel. The northwest corner stage is more open and flat.
While this might be a pragmatic move, it is unfortunate from an aesthetic perspective. The old location is beautiful with lots of shade and streamside locations to lay out a spread of chairs and blankets. The new location is pretty much tree-less in the main area, so shade is almost non-existent. Yesterday I chose the old location, even though it did not offer the top shelf jazz entertainment, so that I could stay out of the hot sun and enjoy a shaded breeze.
