Jacksonville Jazz Fest Experiences

The Jacksonville Jazz Festival returns Memorial Day Weekend to Downtown Jacksonville May 22 – 25, 2025! For more than 40 years, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival has brought music lovers together to enjoy an incredible weekend of food, drinks, community and of course music! The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition presented by Yamaha will kick the festival off on Thursday, followed by 3 days of live, free entertainment on two stages along the St. Johns River for you to groove at daily.

Piano Competition

Presented by Yahama

For over thirty years, the Jacksonville Piano Competition  presented by Keyboard Connection – The Piano Place has been a jazz fest tradition. The event continues to be one of the most exciting musical spectacles to be seen anywhere!

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Jazz Clinic

PRESENTED BY V101.5

Join us on Saturday, May 25th for our annual Jazz Clinic presented by V101.5! Further your jazz education and refine your chops at this free educational clinic with 2024 performers, the Huntertones! Aspiring and accomplished jazz musicians of all ages are invited to learn and grow their skills in an intimate setting located right next to the Jacksonville Jazz Festival event site.

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Jazz Jam

PRESENTED BY HOT 106.5

The Jazz Jam Session presented by Hot 106.5 will return to the Jacksonville Jazz Festival on Saturday, May 25th hosted by  The John Lumpkin Trio featuring Andrae Murchison! It is one of the most popular specialty sets of the festival the being an improvisational open “jam” session. In the true tradition that led to the birth of Jazz Festival fans enjoy watching the exciting mix of musicians performing together. Jam session participants have included Horace Silver, Diana Krall, Russell Malone, Dave Valentine, Roy Hargrove, Rodney Whitaker, Brad Mehldau, Delfeayo Marsalis, the Poncho Sanchez group, the Airmen of Note band members, Shelly Burg, Danny Gottlieb, Linda Cole, Piano Competition winners and contestants, regional pros, collegiate jazz students from UNF, JU and FSCJ, jazz students from Douglas Anderson and LaVilla School of the Arts.

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Second Line Jazz Parade

PRESENTED BY HOT 106.5

Here’s your chance to participate in some Jacksonville Jazz Festival fun! The Second Line Parade will begin at 5:30pm on Saturday, May 25th, followed by a special performance from Let’s Ride Brass Band.

Second Line Parade Route:

  • Start at the southern portion of the East Club plaza, walk south to Gate 4, and turn west.
  • Exit through Gate 1 (near the planter) and head south along the Marketplace.
  • Turn east on Gator Bowl Blvd just south of the median, then head south at the crosswalk.
  • Enter Met Park at the wide opening east of the Met Park Office and stay south of the oak tree.
  • Head towards the LED screen, turn west towards the Gator, follow the riverwalk to the three gazebos, and disband.
  • Celebrate All That Jazz!