NORTHAMPTON — As Northampton’s live music scene continues its evolution after COVID-19, one festival is finding its footing in the community and garnering the necessary help to do so.
The Northampton Jazz Festival’s “Side of Jazz” live music series recently received a $3,000 donation from Gateway Fiber to aid its efforts in downtown Northampton restaurants.
Launched in the summer of 2025, the series brings jazz ensembles to one featured restaurant each month during the city’s Arts Night Out series to entertain people after a night on the town.
“The Northampton Jazz Festival helps keep it lively by staging jazz at one of Northampton’s breweries, bars, cafes or restaurants following Arts Night Out on the second Friday of the month,” said Northampton Jazz Festival President Ruth Griggs. “We want our visitors to enjoy live jazz while they sip and dine after their Arts Night Out experience.”
Griggs told Reminder Publishing that the series is a way to support Northampton restaurants and the Downtown Northampton Association more regularly during Arts Night Out.
“I know from my experience going out to Arts Night Out — which I really enjoy — I like to go out and see the artwork, go to the galleries, see the merchants and see what’s on exhibit, and then I like to go out to dinner afterwards. You’re downtown, it’s a nice day year-round, and it’s nice to just sit down there and have some supper after Arts Night Out,” Griggs said. “This concept of having a jazz ensemble at one featured restaurant each Arts Night Out evolves to keep people downtown, to give them something fun, to keep the spirit alive.”
She added that the event also supports local jazz musicians with paid gigs, an important part of the organization’s mission.
Griggs said the effort increases the Jazz Festival’s visibility in the community, which is why Gateway Fiber decided to aid the series. Gateway Fiber offers fiber internet to homes, businesses and communities in the Northampton area.
“Gateway Fiber is proud to support the Northampton Jazz Festival and help keep the music playing year-round through our sponsorship of ‘Side of Jazz,’ bringing live jazz performances to restaurants and venues throughout Northampton,” said Amanda Lambert, regional marketing coordinator for Gateway Fiber. “Through our Gateway Gives program, we’re investing in the communities we serve and supporting local organizations that bring people together. Just as jazz creates meaningful connections, Gateway Fiber connects residents and businesses with fast, reliable internet that helps our community thrive.”
The “Side of Jazz” series has grown in popularity since its inception last summer, according to Griggs, who added that Ryan Hollander, producer and one of the festival’s board members, eventually convinced restaurant owners to give the idea a try.
“In some cases, it’s just two musicians; they don’t take up a lot of space, just a bass and guitar, don’t make a lot of noise, you know, this is jazz, not rock and roll. And they went for it and loved it,” Griggs said.
Since the inception of “Side of Jazz,” one restaurant has started its own regular jazz nights during the summer, thanks to the series. Other restaurants are also interested in having musicians from “Side of Jazz” perform more regularly.
Griggs added that she and Hollander plan to continue brainstorming ways restaurant owners can connect with live jazz performers.
“At the end of the day, we want to support the restaurants. It continues to evolve, but I think that’s what it should do. It can’t be static; we need to evolve,” Griggs said. “You need to be sensitive to what people’s wants or needs are.”
For this year’s series, Eastside Grill, The Dirty Truth, La Veracruzana, Caminito Steakhouse, India House and Paul and Elizabeth’s are participating restaurants, according to Griggs.
With Northampton’s live music legacy in mind, she said the effort has contributed to the evolution of the music scene post-pandemic. Griggs credited the city of Northampton’s Economic Development Department for its support of the “Side of Jazz” and for immediately recognizing the value of what the series is aiming to pull off. She said the city is aware that music is a large driver of vitality, positive spirit, tourism and downtown spending.
“The Northampton Jazz Festival is now known as a bit of an institution, and it is a trusted institution. It’s an institution that people know leads the jazz scene here in Northampton. So when people locally think of jazz, they think of the Northampton Jazz Festival. They’ve turned to us for more than just putting on a two-day festival at the end of September,” Griggs said. “They know we’re trusted, that we respect our musicians, that we pay our musicians, we honor them and want to give our musicians in the area opportunities. That’s the piece of it that I think is really important. That trust and respect that runs through all of what we’re doing with the restaurants and the musicians and the city of Northampton for ‘Side of Jazz.’”
