Jacksonville Jazz Festival

The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is the second largest jazz festival in the nation, and if you like jazz, you'll do well to plan your Jacksonville visit around it. In addition to being one of the largest jazz festivals in the nation, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival is also one of the best, and the list of past performers is quite an impressive one. Such notable artists as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Branford Marsalis, Chuck Mangione, and Herbie Hancock have graced the stage at the Jazz Festival in Jacksonville, lending undeniable credibility to the event. While it's mostly about the music when it comes to this featured music event in Jacksonville, those who attend can also take in some art and enjoy some good food and wine while they listen to the music. If you are especially interested in sampling a variety of food, purchasing a special Tasting Ticket is recommended.

The Jazz Festival in Jacksonville takes place at the end of May, and while Metropolitan Park is the center of most of the action, various venues around the city also serve as concert halls for the occasion. These venues include the Florida Theatre, the Ritz Theatre, the Jacksonville Landing, the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, and various downtown buildings, some of which are vacant. You can also catch some performances along the Laura Street Corridor and in Hemming Plaza. Regardless of where you are catching a live performance during the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, paying for admission doesn't have to be part of the deal. The Jazz Festival in Jacksonville is free to the public, though you can always buy premium seating tickets if you please.

If you want preferred seating for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, the Experience Jazz Preferred Packages are recommended. In addition to seats near the stage, these packages also include things like a commemorative festival poster, two daily drink tickets, a ticket to the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, and admission to the Wine Down Tasting Experience, among other things. The Wine Down Tasting Experience is held in Hemming Plaza, and it features plenty of good food and wine. It doesn't have to be all about the music at this renowned music event in Jacksonville, and when you're not enjoying some good food and wine at the Wine Down Tasting Experience, you might wander over to the nearby Art in the Heart Downtown exhibit, which features arts and crafts from an array of talented artists.

There is a lot to take in at the annual Jazz Festival in Jacksonville, and while the featured acts get most of the attention, you can always catch up and coming musicians at the Generation Next Youth Talent Competition. This side event features a competition that talents between the ages of 7 and 21 can enter. Another side event that you might consider is Jazz Juniors, which is held at various times in front on the Jacksonville Landing. This side event features educational activities that are aimed at introducing children to the world of jazz. Youngsters can even try various instruments, which is arguably the highlight of this Jacksonville Jazz Festival side event. Jacksonville is definitely a great family destination, thanks to attractions like the Jacksonville Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry, and if you have kids that like music, adding extra events like Jazz Juniors is always a welcome option.

If you like jazz but are not able to plan your Jacksonville vacation around the Jazz Festival, you should still be able to catch a live jazz performance of some kind during your trip. Numerous concerts take place at city venues like the Landing throughout the year, and a good amount feature jazz. In the summer, jazz fans can also wander over to nearby Jacksonville Beach, which boasts the Summer Jazz Concert Series at the Sea Walk Pavilion. There's always something going on in the Jacksonville area, and catching a live music performance, whether it be jazz or not, shouldn't be difficult. The Jazz Festival might be the most renowned music event in Jacksonville, but it certainly isn't the only one.