Clearwater Jazz Holiday

What Clearwater Jazz Holiday does

The Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation, Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1980 that produces an annual four-day jazz music festival at Coachman Park on the Clearwater waterfront overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The organization is led by a three-person staff (CEO Steve Weinberger, Operations Manager Deborah Flurnoy, Marketing & Operations Consultant Gary Hallas) supported by a Board of Directors and an all-volunteer Jazz Force committee of more than 30 lead operational volunteers. The 47th annual festival is scheduled for October 15-18, 2026, featuring multi-stage programming across jazz, blues, funk, rock, Americana, and related genres with a headline roster that has historically included Tony Bennett, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago, and Bonnie Raitt.

The Foundation's product portfolio extends beyond the annual festival to include the year-round CJH Presents Monthly Music Series, the High Note Society VIP membership program, the Second Line Legacy Society planned-giving program, and a multi-pronged Education & Outreach platform comprising the Young Lions Jazz Master Sessions, History of Jazz Outreach Program, My Journey with Jazz, STOP-TIME Series with Frank Williams, Build-A-Guitar, and scholarship initiatives reaching approximately 60 Tampa Bay area schools and nearly 30,000 students. Distribution occurs via the Etix online ticketing platform, an e-commerce merchandise shop selling vintage and current festival posters, and digital channels (YouTube, podcast platforms, social media) for educational content.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: one-time festival ticket sales across VIP, Reserved, and General Admission tiers; corporate sponsorships (Tampa Bay Times as naming media sponsor, Duke Energy, Freeman Sound, Blue Water Wealth Management, RS Berkley, Clearwater Gas, among others); recurring High Note Society memberships; tax-deductible donations including the designated Bill Horne Community Day Fund; and merchandise sales. Grant funding from the State of Florida Division of Arts and Culture, Florida Council on Arts & Culture, Pinellas County Cultural Affairs Department, and the Pinellas Community Foundation provides additional programmatic support. Pricing is structured as tiered per-event tickets plus a graduated donation ladder ranging from $10 to $1,500 across education and community outreach funds.

Name

Clearwater Jazz Holiday

Legal name

Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://clearwaterjazz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clearwater Jazz Holiday is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces an annual four-day jazz festival at Coachman Park in Clearwater, Florida, and operates year-round music education programs serving roughly 60 Tampa Bay schools. Revenue comes from tiered ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, recurring memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festival

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Festival Organizers & Promoters (MPAGAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Live music festival
• Jazz music events
• Music education programs
• Community outreach
• Event sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Clearwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for the four-day annual music festival including VIP Reserve & Table Seating, Premium & Reserved Seating, and Main Lawn General Admission tickets. Kids under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult GA ticket holder.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Festival sponsorships, education & outreach sponsorships, music series sponsorships, and benefactor partner memberships providing marketing exposure and brand alignment with the 47-year community tradition.
3. High Note Society Memberships: Limited membership for committed Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation supporters with special VIP access to the annual festival and other exclusive benefits. This is a recurring donor/sustainer program.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation supporting year-round education and outreach programs, the Bill Horne Community Day Fund, and general operations.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling new and vintage festival posters (1983-2025, excluding 1980-1982, 1990, 2020, 2024), hats, jewelry, ladies' shirts, men's shirts, and other merchandise.
6. Bill Horne Community Day Fund: Designated fund honoring Bill Horne's legacy of accessibility and community outreach, with donations supporting festival ticket donations to community partners including schools and nonprofit organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces an annual four-day jazz, blues, funk, and Americana music festival at Coachman Park on the Clearwater, Florida waterfront, complemented by year-round live music events (CJH Presents), VIP membership (High Note Society), corporate sponsorship packages, festival merchandise, and music education and outreach programs serving Tampa Bay area students and community partners.

Product overview

Clearwater Jazz Holiday is a nonprofit music festival organization offering a portfolio of live event and education products. The core offering is the annual four-day Clearwater Jazz Holiday Music Festival (47th edition in 2026), complemented by the year-round CJH Presents Monthly Music Series and the High Note Society VIP membership program. The organization also operates comprehensive Education & Outreach Programs including Young Lions Jazz Master Sessions, STOP-TIME Series, My Journey with Jazz, and other music education initiatives for youth and community. Additional offerings include the Bill Horne Community Day, festival merchandise (posters, apparel), and corporate sponsorship packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• High Note Society: VIP membership program offering exclusive access and benefits for the annual festival and year-round events.
• Jazz Force
• Bill Horne Community Day

Products and services

• Clearwater Jazz Holiday Music Festival
• CJH Presents Monthly Music Series
• High Note Society Membership
• Education & Outreach Programs
• Bill Horne Community Day
• Festival Merchandise
• Young Lions Jazz Master Virtual Sessions (The Studio)
• Festival Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached nearly 30,000 students in approximately 60 Tampa Bay area schools through History of Jazz Outreach Program by Spring 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• City of ClearwaterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Clearwater is a key festival partner providing the Coachman Park venue and municipal support for the annual festival.
• State of Florida Department of State Division of Arts and CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing grants to support the festival and its education/outreach programs. CJH programs are funded in part by grants from the State of Florida.
• Florida Council on Arts & CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState arts council providing grant funding support for CJH programs and festival operations.
• Pinellas County Commission Cultural Affairs DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government providing Cultural Development Grants Program funding for CJH education and outreach initiatives.
• Tampa Bay TimescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTampa Bay Times serves as the primary media sponsor and is the naming sponsor of the main Tampa Bay Times Stage at the festival.
• Duke EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuke Energy Foundation provides grant funding supporting CJH's My Journey with Jazz program and other education initiatives.
• Pinellas Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity foundation supporting CJH education and outreach programs including History of Jazz Outreach, Stop-Time Series, and My Journey with Jazz.
• Pinellas Realtor OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting sponsor for CJH education programs including History of Jazz Outreach and Stop-Time Series with Frank Williams.
• Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts at Ruth Eckerd HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJH provides annual funding to support the renowned youth jazz program at this school, which provides year-round performance opportunities including festival appearances.
• St. Petersburg College Music Industry and Recording Arts ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJH delivers classroom discussions for students to gain real-world insight into the music business, plus volunteer, shadow, networking, and intern opportunities with CJH production and operations teams.
• Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting organization for CJH's Young Lions Jazz Master Sessions and Young Lions Virtual Sessions programs.
• Anderson FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting CJH education programs including Young Lions Virtual Sessions and Give Them A Stage program.
• Landon Korabek FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting CJH's My Journey with Jazz program and other education initiatives.
• Rotary Club of LargominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service organization supporting CJH History of Jazz Outreach program.
• Seaside National Bank & TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting My Journey with Jazz program.
• Freeman SoundcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFreeman Sound presents the CHILLtronic Lounge at the festival and is a sponsor and education/outreach partner.
• Clearwater GasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFestival sponsor and education/outreach partner.
• Florida Smooth Jazz FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFestival sponsor and education/outreach partner supporting My Virtual Journey with Jazz program.
• Blue Water Wealth Management at Steward PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFestival sponsor and supporter of Young Lions Jazz Master Virtual Sessions.
• Best Corporate EventscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonates its Build-A-Guitar charitable program to CJH, engaging corporate partners to build guitars donated to outreach partners. Also supports CJHInspires instrument donation program.
• Clearwater For YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization recognized as an Education & Outreach partner and Bill Horne Community Day supporter.
• MarineMax ClearwaterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarine retailer supporting CJH education programs including Young Lions Virtual Sessions podcast.
• RS BerkleyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInsurance company supporting CJH Inspires program with instrument donations for young musicians.
• Pinellas County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district for CJH education and outreach programs including History of Jazz Outreach and Youth Jazz programs.
• Clearwater Regional Chamber of CommercecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber of commerce that awarded CJH the 2016 Judge's Choice Nonprofit of the Year. Festival sponsor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Free, multi-day jazz festival in a major metro park with outdoor staging. Comparable free patron areas (Sunset Bluff, Lower Plaza) and outdoor urban-park format.

Direct peers

• San Jose Jazz Festival: Nonprofit (San Jose Jazz) producing an annual multi-day jazz festival with tiered ticketing, membership programs, and youth education initiatives. Comparable in scale and operational model.
• Sarasota Jazz Festival: Florida-based nonprofit jazz festival with a similar multi-day, multi-tier ticketing model and education outreach. Direct regional competitor for Tampa Bay audience and sponsorship dollars.
• Savannah Music Festival: Southeastern U.S. multi-day music festival with a nonprofit foundation structure, tiered ticketing, and education programming. Comparable scale and seasonality to CJH.
• Monterey Jazz Festival: Long-running nonprofit jazz festival on the West Coast with a multi-day lineup, education programs, and VIP membership tier. Closest comparable in mission, structure (501(c)(3)), and artist caliber.
• Jacksonville Jazz Festival: Regional Florida jazz festival with comparable scale, free general admission, and a multi-stage format. Same regional competitive set and overlapping sponsor pool in North/Central Florida.
• Vail Jazz Festival: Nonprofit jazz festival with a heavy focus on youth education and year-round programming. Closest peer in education-program priority and VIP membership offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Detroit Jazz Festival: Free-admission nonprofit jazz festival with strong education programming (Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation). Larger footprint but similar nonprofit operating model and educational mission.
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: Iconic multi-week festival produced by a nonprofit foundation. Larger scale and broader cultural remit, but the closest model for how a regional jazz festival can scale into a national cultural institution.
• Newport Jazz Festival: Historic nonprofit jazz festival with national brand recognition and a multi-day ticketing structure. A useful north-star for what CJH could grow into over multiple decades.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clearwaterjazz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheClearwaterJazz
• Facebookfacebook.com/ClearwaterJazz/?fref=ts
• Instagraminstagram.com/clearwaterjazz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearwater-jazz-holiday-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Jazz Holiday