Rain or shine, jazz lovers flocked to the grassy banks of NIU’s East Lagoon to enjoy the Campus Activities Board’s 12th, and possibly final, Jazz in the Night.

Nearly 500 people relaxed in lawn chairs with their picnic baskets as children played on inflatable games like the bungee-run and moonwalk.

“I think it’s a real neat marriage between beautiful music and being outside,” DeKalb resident Lydia Short said.

Short said she was sad to learn that this event had been cut from CAB’s budget for next year because it encouraged connections between the university and the community.

CAB started a petition to save Jazz in the Night by obtaining signatures from those who attended.

Kathy Kelly, a Chicago-based vibraphone artist, opened shortly after rain subsided at 7 p.m.

“It’s nice to be able to share music with people further away and get a feeling of connection,” said Kelly, who has been playing professionally in Chicago since 1979.

Six-time Grammy Award nominee Kurt Elling, along with the Laurence Hobgood Trio, took the stage amidst cheers and applause after Kelly’s performance.

John Tate drove more than two hours from his hometown of Galesburg “just to see Kurt,” and he said he could not believe the show was for $3.

“He’s so hip and smooth when he sings,” Tate said. “The group is so tight and swinging.”

“I knew the weather was going to end up like this; I really want the West Nile virus,” Elling joked as he took hold of the mic.

Elling performed songs from “Flirting with Twilight,” “The Messenger” and other albums, and he gave a sneak preview of the upcoming “Man In the Air.”

Cheers of “encore” made ripples through the crowd after the performance and forced him to take the stage again and perform “Nature Boy” from his album “The Messenger.”

“His vocal style is one of the best styles out there,” said 3rd Ward Alderman Steve Kapitan. “He expresses himself so clearly it communicates with people on a level pop music doesn’t”