Niwot got jazzy

Visitors to Cottonwood Square were able to enjoy their brunch in style thanks to the Jazz Brunch on Saturday, Sept. 4. Sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) and with the work of co-champions Gene Hayworth and Keith Waters, the inaugural Niwot Jazz Festival was in full swing.

"We've had a fantastic day. It's a good crowd and there's really such a wonderful community effort in putting the whole thing together. It's been a pleasure, and the music is fantastic," said Hayworth.

The official lineup of musicians started at noon and continued until 8 p.m. The event featured various sub-genres of jazz, including Parisian and New Orleans style. "It's really fun, there was more jazzy music earlier, and now they've changed it up, and it's been a good time," said a visitor from Lafayette.

Two apparent favorites at the event were Sharón Clark, who has performed at the Kennedy Center, and Quemando, a local salsa band.

"It's pretty cool [and there's] some diverse music," said one attendee. "Sharón had some pretty good pipes and this Latin band is pretty cool too."

Karen Ehrhardt-Martinez said, "I love Quemando. The event's awesome, I wish I had gotten here earlier."

Throughout the day, the crowd grew; some people sat and watched the performance while others danced. Many were chatting with friends and neighbors, seemingly excited at the opportunity for community involvement. "Everybody seems to be having a fantastic time," said Hayworth. "It was such a hot day, it started to pick up around 3 o'clock and it just continued to build."

"It's pretty cool...It's a family event, [and] so far I'm pleased," said attendee Liduan Cotto. "We love Niwot and we're having fun." Cotto and her boyfriend are frequent dancers at Dancing Under the Stars, a Niwot Business Association held in Cottonwood Square on Friday nights throughout the summer. Between that event and Quemando, Cotto said they were excited to come to the jazz festival.

It seems that Dancing Under the Stars was one of many reasons why people were interested in the event. Victor Omark said that he heard about the jazz festival while attending a salsa night. "Considering COVID, I like that it's outside and people are maintaining their distance. I see some people with masks, so that's pretty good," he said.

Maye Cordero agreed, saying that the event was "very safe" and that she was "very excited."

Hayworth also seemed excited about the festival's reception and its future, saying that they plan to continue the event in years to come. As for this year, the festival's success was somewhat of a surprise, but a pleasant one.

"We went into this blindly, never having done it before, and so we're really very pleased," he said. "It's been a great day."

The event was supported by several local businesses, as well as funding from the Niwot Local Improvement District. More information about the Niwot Jazz Festival can be found at: https://niwotjazz.org/