It now looks like a summer concert series WILL be happening in Jacksonville on the downtown square.
After not being named as a recipient of the Levitt AMP Grant for a third year, many were unsure if Jacksonville would be able to provide a concert series like that had the previous two summers.
Now, a local company has taken the place of Levitt AMP the title sponsor for the downtown concert series. Oakleaf Crypto Tech has pledged to give the large financial support that was previously given by the Levitt Foundation. We spoke with Kristen Jenkins of Jacksonville Main Street, who have put on the series the last two years, and she explains how Oakleaf got involved:
“Tripp Fezler and his wife Donna, their son Troy, contacted Jacksonville Main Street after the news was received that we did not receive a Levitt AMP Grant. They expressed their concern fro the series not continuing and the importance that they felt that it did continue and offered their assistance. They offered to fund the title sponsorship portion of the series so that we are able to still have it, and have it in the same fashion that we have the past two years,” says Jenkins
While Main Street plans to keep most things the same, Jenkins says that there will be some differences. Namely, the length of the concert series:
“The only changes that you’ll see is that we’ll have 8 concerts instead of 10. That decision was made because in the past, with Levitt AMP, we had to have 10 concerts in 10 weeks. Morgan County Fair weekend was always an issue for us because we didn’t want to compete with the Morgan County Fair concert. We decided to not host a concert on July 13 this year, and then instead of having one concert in August to round out the entire thing we decided just to have a one concert every Friday night in June and July, skipping July 13.
Additionally, while Oakleaf is covering the sponsorship spot that Levitt previously held, the concert series still needs more sponsors to be able to put on the show in the fashion that it was held before.
“The Oakleaf Crypto Tech sponsorship is just covering the portion that the Levitt AMP had previously covered. The concert series itself costs way more than that and so yes, we are still seeking sponsorship. Sponsorship levels go anywhere from $500 to $5,000. Later this week, all of the information as far and sponsoring will be up on our website,” Jenkins says.
Jenkins and Jacksonville Main Street say that they have been blown away by the support of the local community to keep this series going, saying that many new and returning sponsors have come forward already.
If you or your business would like to be the next to come forward and sponsor the series, you can email events@jacksonvillemainstreet.com