All That Jazz: Join Annual Festival in June

Pack your lawn chairs and blankets and head to St. Paul’s Mears Park on June 24 and 25 (Friday and Saturday) for the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. AARP Minnesota is presenting sponsor of the event, now in its 24th year. The concerts will also be offered virtually.

Headlining acts include the Matthew Whitaker Quintet; the Treme Brass Band; the Emmet Cohen Trio, featuring Bruce Harris; the Brandon Goldberg Quintet; Bruce Henry and the Evolution of African American Music; and bands from Walker West Music Academy and the MacPhail Center for Music.

The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is one of the largest free jazz events in the upper Midwest, featuring outdoor stages in Mears Park and another next to the nearby Saint Paul Farmers’ Market. More than 15 St. Paul venues are also offering jazz programs throughout the festival weekend.

Beyond that, the virtual Thursday-night concerts AARP has hosted since 2020 will continue, showcasing top local acts. Another Jazz Fest Live concert series is slated to run from May through December.

To register for the virtual performances or the live festival, you can visit aarp.org/MNevents. Festival venues are wheelchair-accessible.

—Mary Van Beusekom