CRA Chairman Keith Mixon

The Live Oak Community Redevelopment Agency approved a budget request of $15,000 for the Jazz, Arts and Blues Festival that will take place in Festival Park [across from Millennium Park in Live Oak] in October 2015. The request was presented by Chairman Keith Mixon, who originally presented a budget request of $20,000. Last year, the board approved a budget request of $7,500. The total budget this year for JAB Fest is $46,000. Of that $46,000, about $20,000 is for band expenses, a big jump from last year’s band expense of $13,000.

“These bands will normally book events like this for about $15,000 to $20,000 each,” said Mixon.

Mixon then explained how JAB Fest is an economic advantage for Live Oak and other benefits the festival has on the community.

“This is not all music, folks,” said Mixon. “This is economic development, this is a social opportunity for our local folks, this is exposing this city and this county to the folks outside of it.”

CRA member and Councilman John Yulee started the discussion by asking how many sponsors JAB Fest had. Last year, the festival had around 15 sponsors and organizers are confident they will have the same amount, if not more this year.

CRA member and Councilman Frank Davis asked if the budget request was a proposed change to the budget amendment that was on that night’s agenda. The budget that was presented in the budget amendment for JAB Fest was $15,000.

CRA member and Councilman Jacob Grantham wanted to know where the extra $5,000 was going to come from. The total budget the CRA board had set aside for all festival events for Live Oak was $30,000.  

Once the board discussed the budget amendment, they voted to approve the budget for all festivals, as is, and budgeting JAB Fest at $15,000. 
This will mark the second JAB Fest held in Live Oak.