If you're not thirsty, jazz event still free

The Clearwater Jazz Holiday now has a ban on soda, water and beer from home; and a higher price on preferred seating.

By EILEEN SCHULTE
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002

CLEARWATER -- With only two days to go until the 2002 Clearwater Jazz Holiday begins, music fans may be wondering: Is the event still totally free?

The answer is yes, if you're willing to sit behind a preferred seating section, eat snacks you bring from home in a paper sack, not a cooler -- organizers are even loath to say you can bring your own sandwiches -- and resist the temptation of buying bite-size gator tail nuggets or a visor.

Forget bringing your own sodas, water, beer or wine or anything else liquid.

You won't get past the checkpoints. You'll have to pour it out.

"We don't want people bringing six packs of anything," said Jan Wehmeyer, the Jazz Holiday's assistant executive director. She said the Clearwater Jazz Holiday had adopted the city's ban on liquid refreshments in Coachman Park.

The good news is that the cost of what many consider essential festival sustenance -- beer, wine, funnel cakes and corndogs -- will remain about the same as last year. Check out part of the price list:

$3 for a cup of Michelob beer, and that includes the new ultra formula ($5 in a 22 oz. Phillies souvenir cup).

$3 for a cup of Banrock Station red or white wine.

$3 for a Doc Otis malt beverage.

$6 for a grouper sandwich, $6 for a gyro, $4 for a funnel cake and $8 for ribs with a sides of greens and cornbread.

Other prices include $15 for an official Jazz Holiday poster ($50 framed); $15 for a black rhinestone T-shirt; $12 for a less snazzy T-shirt; $10 for a pair of shorts and $15 for a ball cap.

The price of preferred seating, those 350 to 450 chairs closest to the stage, will increase $10 for the Thursday and Friday shows, from $15 to $25.

Wehmeyer said the move was not to make more money but to avoid confusion.

"There was too much confusion with price changes at Ticketmaster, going from $15 for the Thursday and Friday shows to $25 for the Saturday and Sunday shows," she said.

Said Rob Snyder, Jazz Holiday chairman: "We made it one price across the board to streamline it."

Organizers are offering a deal to die-hard fans who want to attend the entire run of the Jazz Holiday.

"If they buy all four days for $75, they are actually getting one day free," Wehmeyer said.

The Jazz Holiday runs Thursday to Sunday at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater and features 17 acts. The headliners are Deanna Bogart, Lou Rawls, the Chick Corea Elektric Band and Jonathan Butler.

-- Eileen Schulte can be reached at 445-4153 or schulte@sptimes.com.

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