2022 Montclair Jazz Fest Will Have 50+ Hours Of Free, Live Music

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A popular, award-winning jazz fest is returning to Montclair in 2022.

The Montclair Jazz Festival recently announced details of this year’s celebration, which will include four free shows in July, August and September, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of people. Learn more here.

According to Jazz House Kids, the local nonprofit that spearheads the annual festival, the event curator – Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride – is directing the festival’s overall programming with help from associate producer, Ted Chubb.

There will be four shows on separate dates this year, providing a total of more than 50 hours of live, family-friendly music:

• Summer Soundcheck Series@ Lackawanna Plaza - July 13 and July 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. Rain dates are July 14 and July 28.
• Lackawanna Block Party, followed by DJ Brother Mister Dance Party with Christian McBride - Saturday, Aug. 13 from noon to 10 p.m. Rain date is Aug. 14.
• Downtown Jamboree - Saturday, Sept. 10 from 1 to 9 p.m.

“Last year's move downtown indeed took a village and required vision, collaboration, execution and trust,” said Melissa Walker, founder and president of Jazz House Kids.

According to Walker, who serves as the festival’s executive producer:

“I’m extraordinarily proud of what we created with the collective engagement and cooperation of our 2021 presenting sponsors and our government partners, especially Essex County, which for the very first time, opened up the main thoroughfare, and the township which came on board with essential services. We also thank our many supporters and tremendous artistic talent who were instrumental in helping us reimagine this free Montclair Jazz Festival for the collective good. We can’t wait to do it again this year!”

David Placek of BDP Holdings, this year’s presenting sponsor, called the festival a “quintessential community event” that “embodies everything that is amazing about Montclair.”

“The festival unites our entire community by bringing some of the world's most extraordinary jazz talent to the streets of Montclair for all to see and hear for free,” Placek said. “Last year, over 35,000 people from Montclair and beyond came to enjoy the music, the food and the shopping at our local businesses.”

“We're excited to see what Melissa, Christian and the Jazz House team have in store for us this year as we bring this community party to the streets of Montclair once again,” Placek added.

WINNING AN AWARD

The Montclair Jazz Festival was recently announced as a winner of a 2022 Downtown Excellence Award from Downtown New Jersey.

The award recognizes New Jersey’s best downtown projects and programs that have made a major or sustained impact on downtown economic development.

Awarded “Tools of the Trade Excellence for a Catalyst Event,” the Montclair Jazz Festival was recognized for its economic impact – bringing an estimated $500,000 to the downtown area – and for working with a range of partners, including Essex County and the Township of Montclair.

The Montclair Jazz Festival is also a three-time winner (2020, 2019 and 2018) of the JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Award for “Favorite Music Festival.”

• See related article: Montclair Jazz Fest, Wellmont Arts Plaza Earn 'Excellence' Awards

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page.