Guitar North Florida is hosting the Seven Bridges Guitar Festival on Oct 17 at Jacksonville University.

The one-day festival brings together guitar students, educators, professional artists, families, and music lovers for a full day of workshops, masterclasses, competition finals, guitarist showcases, and industry engagement, followed by an evening performance by Grammy-awarded and internationally recognized guitarist and composer Andrew York. We anticipate approximately 125 festival participants and an evening concert audience of approximately 400. 

The Seven Bridges Guitar Festival is a landmark musical event celebrating one of the world’s most versatile and beloved instruments. Inspired by the seven iconic bridges that connect Jacksonville’s communities, the festival highlights the guitar as a powerful cultural bridge of its own — linking genres, generations, and stories across the region and exploring the guitar’s extraordinary range — from classical mastery and folk tradition to jazz innovation, bluegrass flatpicking, and contemporary experimentation.

Guitar North Florida is a new regional nonprofit supporting classroom guitar education, connecting teachers, and expanding student opportunities in under-resourced schools across North Florida, and increasing access to highly engaging music education.  

Only 1% of public high school students in the North Florida area - including Jacksonville - are enrolled in a school guitar class because only a handful of high schools offer them. Most school officials cite a lack of funding or music educators trained to teach guitar.  Guitar North Florida aims to help under-resourced schools by promoting and supporting guitar programs and teachers. As the world’s most popular instrument, guitars attract new students to music education like no other instrument.

TAX & COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

Guitar North Florida, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Federal Tax ID 39-4717689. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. GNF is also registered with the State of Florida. Final solicitation materials should retain GNF’s current Florida charitable-solicitation disclosure and registration language.

WE ALSO WELCOME In-Kind Partners — Fair-market-value based

Recognition is matched to the documented fair-market value and usefulness of donated goods or services. Potential needs include strings, guitar accessories, participant bags, gift cards, printing, refreshments, hospitality items, and other event-support services.

​POSSIBLE SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS: Competition prizes; workshops; Guitarist Showcase; festival badges and lanyards; festival shirts; refreshment breaks; participant merchandise; strings and guitar accessories; gift cards and coupons; program advertising; vendor showcase participation; website recognition; poster recognition; concert tickets; stage acknowledgment. To arrange, please contact [email protected]

Help a student overcome financial or personal barriers and experience the transformative power of music at the Seven Bridges Guitar Festival. Each $100 gift provides one Education Champion scholarship, giving a student access to the Festival and the Andrew York Concert. GNF is working with local guitar teachers to identify students who would benefit most from this opportunity.