The Ticino summer festival Jazz Ascona is struggling with a drop in attendance. A new concept is to revitalize the event - the 29th edition will take place from 21 to 29 June 2013.
According to local press reports, the festival will now be freely accessible between Sunday and Thursday. On the other days, admission to the lakeside promenade will remain subject to a charge. In addition to the Lungolago, other concert venues will also be used.
According to director Nicolas Gilliet, the highlights of this year's program are the gospel group The Blind Boys of Alabama, guitarist Robben Ford and The Original Tuxedo from New Orleans.
The festival's visitor numbers have been falling since 2009. Last year, 60,000 admissions were recorded, a drop of around 15 percent compared to the previous year. Jazz Ascona has a budget of around 1.8 million francs.
