Blues & Jazz Festival 2017 Announced!

One of the awesome things about living in Orangeville, ON is the number of festivals and great events that go on in town, or just outside, especially during the summer months.

One festival that has grown tremendously and now attracts visitors from all over the world is the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival. I’ve never missed one since it’s early beginnings, 15 years ago. I’ve had some very memorable times listening to great performers, usually with my son in tow and dancing along with me. Now that he is a teenager, he’s a bit less eager to dance with his old man to live blues than he was as a toddler, but nevertheless, he’s never missed a Blues Fest with me.

Every March, we look forward to when the lineup for the current year is announced, and yesterday, March 23rd, 2017, Larry Kurtz and other Blues Fest organizers gathered at the Mill Creek Pub & Restaurant to make the official announcement for this year. It’s wonderful to see how the event has grown over the years, and some traditions from previous years will be continuing, including “Pop Up Bands On Broadway” and the “Memorial March,” in a New Orleans style.

In addition to some wonderful local talent, the festival will feature some great artists from out of town including Juno nominated performers.

This year, there will be a tiny cover charge of 5.00 for the Main Stage area – a small price to pay to help continue future years of bringing great music to the area every single June. I’ve always wondered why this was never done in the past, especially when you compare the prices other Festivals charge and considering the quality of the music performances that are available at the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival.

June 1st to June 4th – mark it on your calendar – it’s always held the first weekend of June, and make plans to hear some great Blues and Jazz, perhaps attend some workshops on harmonica, rhythm, or ukulele blues, and have a great time! Again this year, a section of Broadway will be closed from Friday to Sunday morning to vehicular traffic, creating an amazing festival atmosphere throughout the downtown area!

See the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival website for more information about the lineup and events.