The Vancouver International Jazz Festival will be held from 6/24 to 7/3 this year.

Every June, the most anticipated event is the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. In the park, in the theater, the dynamic rhythm of jazz music and the bright summer sun came together, igniting people’s passion, and the whole city seemed to be swaying in that passionate tune. This year marks the 36th anniversary of this musical event

The festival has its roots in Vancouver Co-op Radio (FM FM), a community radio station in the early 1980s. Founded in 1984, the Pacific Jazz and Blues Association hosts the Pacific Jazz and Blues Festival, which showcases local jazz and blues artists in addition to some international jazz musicians. By 1986, the group had changed its name to the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, secured corporate sponsorship, and collaborated with Expo 86 to produce the first annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Inaugural festival featuring Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Tito Puente, Tony Williams , Albert Collins, and John Mayall and the Broken Bluesbreakers.

The jazz festival has been held every year since then, making it the largest jazz festival in British Columbia. More than 1,000 volunteers helped produce the event, which included performances in parks, community centers, concert halls, clubs, public squares and streets in various neighborhoods. In total, the festival includes 400 solo performances, including 130 free concerts, and attracts 460,000 people each year. One of the best things is the staggering amount of free concerts it includes. Every summer there are more than 100 – 130 free jazz festival concerts. The free concert kicks off with a two-day Downtown Jazz Weekend, featuring live music, food, art exhibits, kids’ activities, a beer garden and more at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. It is the best music festival you can not miss it!