Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival

Large crowds descended on Court Square July 9-11 for the Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival (HCJAF). The annual event featured a number of jazz performers, art vendors, an array of fine food, and general merriment.
Photography by Ed Cohen

From left, Kari Njiiri of WFCR; Adrienne Osborn, director of Artist Relations for the HCJAF; Ron Ancrum, president of the Community Foundation of Western Mass. and advisory board member for the HCJAF; John Osborn, president and founder of the festival; Amy Scribner, assistant vice president and associate director of Marketing for Hampden Bank; Richard DeBonis, senior vice president and director of Marketing for Hampden Bank; and Evan Plotkin, president of NAI Plotkin.

The scene in Court Square.

Vincent Ingala lights things up on his saxophone.

Pancho Sanchez performs with his Latin Jazz Band.

Hampden Bank employees John Mirkin, Amy Scribner, Donna Abelli, Cindy Bartels, and Debbie Andrews.

The scene on Friday night.

The scene in front of the stage.

Dawn Creighton, with her daughters, Caleigh (left) and Mackenzie.

Big Band Celebration

Hundreds of area residents flocked to the green at Springfield Technical Community College on July 9 for what was called a “Poppin’ Big Band Celebration.” The evening of music and dance was a salute to Benny Goodman’s 1943 concert at the Springfield Armory, much of which was later transformed into STCC after the facility closed in 1966. The event featured the Memories Big Band Sound, a USO Retro Show featuring two dance troupes, Jitterbug Dancers of Chicopee, and Small Planet Dancers of Westfield, and a performance by the U.S. Northeast Navy Pops Band.
Photography by Jim Langone

The scene from the audience, with the Armory Museum in the background.

The Memories Big Band Sound performs.

The Small Planet Dancers mug for the camera.

Audience members take to the dance floor.