Rick Hanson is committed to bringing Festival Jam to Salina in 2020.
"SM Hanson Music started the Festival Jam 34 years ago as a pre-event to the official Smoky Hill River Festival and have continued to organize, manage and support the Festival Jam as a community event every year since," said Hanson, CEO and president of SM Hanson Music, Inc. "We are committed to bringing a late summer or fall 2020 Festival Jam to the Eric Stein Stage."
On Monday, the Salina City Commission, at the recommendation of Salina Arts & Humanities, voted to cancel this year's festival in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hanson told Salina Post that he would like to see this particular Festival Jam to have longer sets for the performers.
"I have suggested that the event be lengthened to allow each of the sixteen bands to perform a 25-minute set, instead of the normal 12-minute set. A longer Festival Jam would allow the entertainers to stretch out a bit and food vendors to benefit from the 6-8 hour event," Hanson said.
Additionally, he would like for the 2020 event, should it happen, to not have an admission charge.
"We would like the event to be free to the public, a celebration of the music community, and rejoice that the community pulled through the COVID-19 disaster," Hanson said.
According to Hanson, the entertainers and bands who were to play at the regular Festival Jam have committed to playing at an event later in the year.
"They would love to participate. The performers at Festival Jam have never been paid and this event would be no different, even though they would play a longer set," he said.
Hanson told Salina Post that he was looking forward to working with Salina Arts & Humanities and the city to bring a special Festival Jam to the community later in 2020.