StreetFest brings three nights of live music to Queen Street East this week

The Beaches neighbourhood is hosting three nights of free live music this week as part of the 38th annual Beaches International Jazz Festival.

StreetFest takes over Queen Street East between Woodbine and Beech avenues from July 23 to 25, with performances running from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly. More than three dozen bands will be stationed outside local businesses and neighbourhood landmarks—the Beaches Public Library, the Beaches fire hall, Kew Gardens entrances, and Queen Street restaurants and shops.

The lineup includes the Toronto All-Star Big Band, Samba Squad, Snooky Tynes Soul Express, Caliber Funk, Trash Panda Brass, Downtown Dixieland Band, Forest Creek Pathway Steel Orchestra, and The Jerome Tucker Band, among others. Old Man Flanagan's Ghost, The Imbayakunas, The Quincy Bullen Family Band, Sugar Rush, Kilowatt Band, The Philcos, Joy4Soul, Sean Turner Band, and The Nathan Carr Band also perform.

Beyond live music, the festival will feature food trucks, restaurant offerings, market stalls, and vendors selling handmade goods and clothing. It's promoted as an all-ages event—families can walk Queen Street and move between performances throughout the evening. Queen Street East will close to vehicles from 6 p.m. until 11:59 p.m. each night, and some transit routes in the area may be diverted. Organizers note that bands and performance locations may change without notice, so check the official schedule before heading out.