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Northampton Jazz Festival
Enjoy the Northampton Jazz Festival this weekend with jazz performances by local and visiting artists at over a dozen different venues around downtown Northampton. We have lined up the best local, regional, and national jazz musicians for this annual weekend filled with free jazz in downtown Northampton.
Downtown Jazz Strut
Friday, Sept. 26, 4:30 pm – midnight
Stroll, sip and dine your way through downtown Northampton to the sounds of jazz ensembles at establishments across town. The Jazz Strut features free evening jazz performances in breweries, bars and restaurants throughout downtown Northampton. Each ensemble starts at 30-minute intervals and plays for two hours, so you can be sure to catch a lot of live jazz and good times on Jazz Strut night!
Jazz Fest Day
September 27
On Jazz Fest Day, we’re featuring artists and music from all over the world to infuse downtown with a cultural melting pot of sound, uniting people through the vibrant diversity of jazz. All daytime music is FREE and open to all!
Jazz Fest 2025 culminates in a special evening with New York Voices – The Grand Finale performing a ticketed show from 7:30-9:00 at the Academy of Music.
Saturday Jazz Fest Day Artists 2025
- ZACCAI CURTIS CUBOP LIVES! | 2025 GRAMMY Award – Best Latin Jazz Album “Cubop”
- KARRIN ALLYSON QUARTET | Five Time GRAMMY Nominee
- MIKE LEDONNE ORGAN TRIO | with Dave Stryker and Joe Farnsworth
- MIKI YAMANAKA | Solo pianist with a light, expressive touch
- STACY DILLARD | Saxophonist fusing tradition and innovation
- TONE FOREST | with Miro Sprague, Marty Jaffe and Jason Ennis
- CONGABOP | Afro-Cuban-inspired rhythms and hard bop harmonies
ASK ME ABOUT JAZZ! | Interactive jazz for young people led by percussionist Richie Barshay
Back by popular demand, on Sat., Sept. 27 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, join us for another toe-tapping, smile-making experience where kids and grown-ups can swing, clap, and dance their way through the amazing world of jazz! With an all-star quartet lead by percussionist Richie Barshay, featuring clarinetist Evan Arntzen, Grammy Award-winning pianist Zaccai Curtis, and bassist Wes Brown, you won’t just sit and listen—you’ll be part of the music!
This event is at Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley St., is completely FREE! Pre-registration is required.
Visit https://northamptonjazzfest.org/ask-me-about-jazz-2025.
Limited to 50 children, so sign up fast! The first 25 registered kids get a FREE “Ask Me About Jazz!” t-shirt.
Come celebrate JAZZ — our great American art form!
