ATLANTA – Rain did not stop crowds from filling Piedmont Park as the 49th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival kicked off for Memorial Day weekend.

The three-day festival, which runs through Monday, marks the first major gathering at the park since 404 Day. Despite a brief weather delay during the afternoon, attendees remained determined to keep the music going.

What we know:

The Atlanta Police Department put extensive safety measures into effect ahead of the weekend crowds. Officials stated that security forces are being deployed heavily throughout the surrounding areas to monitor the festivities.

“To have units in park, on beltline you will see officers all over the city there isn’t one area that wont be covered,” an Atlanta Police Department representative said.

Event organizers emphasized that maintaining the event’s open-access model requires continuous effort behind the scenes. George Matlock, chair of the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc. board of directors, explained that the organization fundraises year-round to ensure the festival remains entirely free and inclusive to the public.

Matlock added that the event is deeply tied to both cultural heritage and local community building, encouraging residents to visit the park over the holiday weekend.

What they’re saying:

Festival attendees refused to let the rainy conditions spoil the experience, finding creative ways to stay comfortable while listening to the performances.

“I come every year for the last 4 years, so I didn’t want to let the rain stop me,” attendee Keana Washington said.

“We got this tent and everyone loves this blue tent. I said yeah let’s put this tent up . We will hang out, vibe and listen to the music and have a good time,” attendee Curtina Gray said.

Organizers also highlighted the broader historical significance of keeping the genre alive in the city.

“This city needed a cultural piece like the festival was very important and we want to keep this legacy alive,” Matlock said, later adding, “Jazz is roots of who we are as American, so we have to keep this form of music alive.”

Local music fans expressed gratitude for the city’s preservation of the free tradition.

“Keep bringing it back I know this is one of the only free jazz festivals in the us so yeah we need it and we are grateful to be in Atlanta,” Washington said.

ATLANTA – The Democratic Republic of Congo national soccer team is coordinating with FIFA and U.S. officials to travel safely to its upcoming World Cup matches amid strict federal travel restrictions prompted by an Ebola outbreak.

World Cup health protocols

What we know:

The Democratic Republic of Congo soccer team has canceled its public send-off event due to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country. The virus, which was first discovered in the northern region of the nation in 1976, has sickened more than 700 people and caused over 170 deaths during the current surge. 

To bypass strict entry rules, the squad is currently training in Belgium and staying isolated inside a strict health bubble. Because team members are already in Europe and will not return to their home country before the tournament, health experts believe they can safely travel to the U.S. 

FIFA announced it is actively monitoring the situation and communicating with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure all security and medical guidelines are strictly followed.

Outbreak travel restrictions

What we don’t know:

Neither federal officials nor the DRC Embassy have clarified exactly how many fans from the region were planning to travel to the U.S. or how many will be blocked by the strict border controls.

American screening procedures

Local perspective:

The team will initially arrive in Houston to train ahead of its first game on June 17, followed by a highly anticipated match in Atlanta on Saturday, June 27 versus Uzbekistan. Any non-citizen who has been inside the democratic republic of Congo within the last 21 days is expected to be denied entry into the U.S.

For Americans returning home from visiting the affected area, federal guidelines require them to fly specifically through Dulles International Airport in Washington to undergo rigorous medical screenings which include temperature checks and a detailed questionnaire.

Expert medical insights

What they’re saying:

Medical experts emphasize that the strict 21-day timeline is a proven window for tracking the virus. “Most of the time when someone is exposed, you rarely ever see the infection express itself beyond 21 days,” said Dr. Barney Graham at the Morehouse School of Medicine, who conducted some of the very first Ebola vaccine trials roughly 23 years ago. Graham noted that the virus requires close contact and does not transmit easily like COVID-19, adding, “Overall, I think people should feel very safe at the soccer matches.” 

During a Friday news conference, the CDC reemphasized its layered health strategy. Capt. Satish Pillai, MD, of the CDC explained the federal response “is part of an overall, broader, layered public health approach, starting with exit screening, airline illness reports.”  Pillai went on to say there will be subsequent decisions “based on the types of activities and where they were in transit, before any discussion, and of course, coordination with the ministries, with FIFA, and across the US government.”