Toronto Jazz Festival has become known as one of North America’s premier jazz festivals. This ten-day jazz event features more than 1,500 prominent performing musicians and attracts over 500,000 loyal listeners annually. The public can enjoy over 100 free performances, as well as ticketed concerts, The Festival gathers not just music lovers but the greatest jazz celebrities from all around the globe.
Location
The epicenter of the music vibes is the Yorkville area, with several stages located on Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bay Street. The Avenue Stage in Queens Park between Bloor St. and Charles St. is standing only. The Village Stage in Yorkville Park has a limited seating zone. The Main Stage at 91 Charles St. West offers some seating, and you can bring your own lawn chairs. Food and beverage vendors will be available at the festival grounds. Forty other venues for ticketed events are scattered throughout the downtown area. Indoor venues include Koerner Hall, Meridian Hall, TD Music Hall, The Axis Club, The Pilot, History, and Horseshoe Tavern.
2024 Lineup
The 2024 edition of the festival offers an impressive lineup of ticketed shows. It includes legends like Andre 300, guitar virtuoso Al Di Meola, three-time Grammy-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote, Grammy-winner Cory Henry, bass and alto saxophone player Colin Stetson, The Yussef Dayes Experience from London, Brooklyn-based band Huntertones, a Canadian singer-songwriter and three-time Juno Award nominee Jill Barber, Toronto-based DJ collective Kuruza, which is bringing together the African diaspora. Also, the public can meet The Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans, legendary Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter SuperBlue duo, Canadian singer and actress Amanda Martinez, and a multi-genre band from New England, Lake Street Dive.
Tickets
Entry to free outdoor programming is on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required. For paid events, tickets range between $60 and $165. Reservations are available on the festival's website in the External Resources below.
Festival History
Launched in 1987 and known as the DuMaurier Jazz Festival, the festival has something for everyone. Over the years, it welcomed over 12 million attendees and 35,000 musicians. The city of Toronto benefited from over 3,500 free concerts during the festival. It incorporates a blend of straight-ahead bop, fusion, and avant-garde with tastes of blues, funk, R&B, or hip-hop. The event is organized by the Toronto Downtown Jazz Society, a Canadian registered charity and endorsed by the Toronto City Council. The festival always starts with a prestigious Gala fundraising event, a marvelous evening with Toronto's finest musicians.
