Jazz Festival Returns for 16 Days Starting June 19
Vancouver International Jazz Festival brings hundreds of artists across 175 concerts, with 30 free shows and new venues hosting performances.
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The 41st Vancouver International Jazz Festival is returning to stages across the city from June 19 to July 5—and organizers are preparing for one of the biggest crowds the event has ever hosted.
With the FIFA World Cup and summer tourism colliding, the festival is doubling down on what makes it essential local programming. "It's really important to all of us at Coastal Jazz to offer the annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival this year and at this time, which is fondly and often regarded as the unofficial start of summer in the city," said Nina Horvath, executive director of the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society.
"With so many visitors in Vancouver in June and July, we want tourists to have something local to experience, knowing that our programming contributes to the vibrancy and excitement of summer in the city."
The festival spans 16 days—the longest run in some time—with over 175 concerts and events across Granville Island, Downtown, the North Shore, and more. The Marquee Series features acclaimed artists like Keyon Harrold, Isaiah Collier, and Amina Claudine Myers alongside local and international acts.
New partnerships this year include The Hollywood Theatre and The Birdhouse, which will host saxophonist Tomoki Sanders and Dutch Punk Band The Ex. The festival continues collaborations with the Western Front, Queer Arts Festival, and Talking Stick, reflecting a mix of established and experimental sounds from Vancouver's own scene.
Downtown Jazz returns as a free concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery at šxʷƛ ̓ ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ Square on June 27 and 28, featuring live performances, youth stages, DJs, community experiences, artisan vendors, and food trucks.
The festival offers 30 completely free shows and 43 "Pay What You Can" performances. Free lunch-hour concerts run on the Dunsmuir Patio at Bentall Centre, and Granville Island hosts a full day of pay-what-you-can shows on July 1 at Ocean Artworks. No one will be turned away for lack of funds at those events.