{"id":11504,"date":"2024-05-18T15:30:20","date_gmt":"2024-05-18T15:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jacksonvillejazzfest.com\/?p=11504"},"modified":"2024-06-10T15:43:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T15:43:23","slug":"going-to-the-jacksonville-jazz-festival-over-memorial-day-weekend-heres-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jacksonvillejazzfest.com\/_ARC\/2024\/05\/going-to-the-jacksonville-jazz-festival-over-memorial-day-weekend-heres-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Going to the Jacksonville Jazz Festival over Memorial Day weekend? Here’s what to know."},"content":{"rendered":"

Consistency has never been the hallmark of the Jacksonville Jazz Festival<\/a>. Onstage, it’s produced decades of great performances, but some years they’ve been ticketed, some years free. It’s been staged at Mayport, at Metropolitan Park, at the old Jacksonville Landing and in the downtown streets.<\/p>\n

For this year’s festival, scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend, the festival is using two stages, one at Metropolitan Park and another across the street at Daily’s Place. The Daily’s shows will be the first time one of the festival’s main stages was indoors.<\/p>\n

Here’s what you need to know before heading to the fest.<\/p>\n

When is the Jacksonville Jazz Festival?<\/h2>\n

The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition<\/a>, the traditional opener for the festival, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Florida Theatre. The festival itself is Friday, May 24; Saturday, May 25; and Sunday, May 26. The festival is open from 4-11 p.m. Friday, 3-11 p.m. Saturday and 3-11 p.m. Sunday.<\/p>\n

Need a break?<\/strong> Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.<\/a><\/p>\n

Where is the Jacksonville Jazz Festival?<\/h2>\n
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The festival will be in two locations this year, Metropolitan Park and Daily\u2019s Place. A temporary stage will be brought in for the Met Park shows. The venues are across the street from each other, so fans can easily see shows on both stages.<\/p>\n

Why did they move the Jacksonville Jazz Festival?<\/h2>\n
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The festival has been held in several places over the years. Last year it had stages at Riverfront Plaza and Ford on Bay. Ongoing construction at Riverfront Plaza meant the festival needed a new home this year.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0festival started<\/a>\u00a0in 1980 in Mayport and moved to Metropolitan Park the following year. No festivals were in 2001 or 2002, but it came back to the park in 2003 with Tony Bennett as headliner. It moved to the downtown streets in 2009 and has since seen stages at James Weldon Johnson Park, the Duval County Courthouse, The Jacksonville Landing, Ford on Bay, the Shipyards and Riverfront Plaza.<\/p>\n

Who is playing Friday at the Jacksonville Jazz Festival?<\/h2>\n
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