Festivals in Five Points went through the wringer this year. The longtime Five Points Jazz Festival, an annual free event for 25 years, was replaced with a grant program, and the Juneteenth Music Festival just barely made it, thanks to a heroic drop in by the Drop 104.7.
But on Saturday, September 13, the historic neighborhood will see the debut of Hi Points Festival, a multi-venue, day-long event along the Welton Street corridor that celebrates the cultural and musical legacy of Five Points. There will be twenty live performances, including a tribute to Charles Burrell, the legendary bassist known as “the Jackie Robinson of classical music” who passed away in June. The tribute, which will take place at Cousins Plaza, will be led by pianist Purnell Steen, who will be joined by Carl Jackson and the Park Hill Project.
“The debut of Hi Points Festival is as much about renewal as it is about music,” says Norman Harris, executive director of Five Points Business Improvement District, which is producing the fest alongside Conjure Productions. “On Welton Street, we’re recreating the energy of a historic corridor — filling it with life and thriving businesses — while also celebrating how new genres have been recreated from the roots of jazz. This festival shines a spotlight on our community, honoring legends like Charles Burrell and showing how Five Points continues to inspire both tradition and innovation in Denver’s music scene.”…