Montclair Jazz Festival

The No Tickets Required Montclair Jazz Festival is back, BIGGER and BETTER than ever! Montclair will once again transform into a destination for thousands of elated music fans as the 7th Annual Montclair Jazz Festival produced by acclaimed Jazz House Kids kicks off nine hours of world-class jazz on Saturday, August 13 in Nishuane Park. And again, it’s all free!

Artistic Director Christian McBride, Mistress of Ceremonies actor S. Epatha Merkerson,  and WBGO’s Gary Walker will lead the stage action for the Festival.

This year’s all-star headliners include the Dee Dee Bridgewater Quintet; A Christian McBride Situation; George Coleman Organ Quartet and Louis Prima, Jr. The world-class artists perform on the same stage with more than 200 multi-generational performers including festival favorites The Jazz House Faculty Collective directed by Ed Palermo celebrating the music of David Bowie and Prince; Michele Rosewoman and New Yor-Uba; and nine award-winning Jazz House Kids’ student ensembles and vocal groups ranging in age from 8 to 18.

The Montclair Jazz Festival is a fun-filled day with entertainment for the entire family. New this year, the Festival has an expanded footprint for its Family Jazz Discovery Zone, a collaboration among Jazz House Kids and partners Montclair Public Library and Montclair Art Museum. The “Zone” will feature additional healthy family food vendors, music-related story books read by festival headliners, live music from the youngest Jazz House Summer Workshop students and a host of kid-friendly art activities for wee-boppers and their parents. For a complete schedule rundown of the Zone, visit here.

Also returning to the festival is the popular Beer Garden, sponsored by North Coast Brewing Co. which donates 100% of the proceeds to support Jazz House Kids Music + Education Fund, which raises much needed funds to close the gap in access to music education in schools and communities across New Jersey.

Getting to the Montclair Jazz Festival has never been easier. The FREE Montclair Jazz Festival Shuttle will stop at several new key parking points throughout Montclair and West Orange. An expanded bike valet sponsored by Diamond Cycle will offer free, convenient parking for those traveling by two wheels.