Home Section – About the Nanaimo Jazz Festival

The Nanaimo International Jazz Festival Association plans annual jazz festivals in Downtown Nanaimo and professional jazz events throughout the year.

OUR GOALS:

  • To present an annual jazz festival in Downtown Nanaimo
  • To provide local opportunities for local and internationally known jazz artists
  • To increase tourism to downtown nanaimo through live jazz performance
  • To develop a greater appreciation and audience for jazz music by performing more of it locally
  • To work with other jazz festivals and organizations to help further the same and similar goals.

Nanaimo has a distinguished connection with jazz in its professional performers, some who have achieved national and international recognition as well as its jazz education programs in both the public schools and Vancouver Island University.

Our Board Members include:

  • Andrew Homzy, President
  • Greg Bush, Vice President
  • Carol Tisdale, Treasurer
  • Norm Abbey, Secretary
  • Dirk Heydemann, Director
  • Natasha Hoskins, Director
  • Brad Skeeles, Director

The Board recognizes efforts of past directors and many volunteers who helped pave the way to Nanaimo’s first International Jazz Festival. We’d also like to thank and credit HA Photography for many of the photos used on our website.

Home Section – 2017 Festival

~ NANAIMO JUST HAD ITS FIRST JAZZ FESTIVAL ~
September 15-17,  2017

New Orleans came to town, to celebrate the inaugural Nanaimo International Jazz Festival September 15th to 17th. For 3 days and nights Nanaimo’s downtown was hopping with the beats and grooves of live jazz.

The Festival put Jazz in Diana Krall Plaza, as well as a ‘Jazz Krall’ in other downtown cafes and public spaces throughout the event.

Traveling all the way from New Orleans was the John Ellis quintet “Double Wide” who headlined the Festival's main attraction at the Port Theatre Saturday night.

There were jazz goings-on for all ages - from 4 ticketed events to many FREE live performances occurring all weekend long. One of the favourites was the New Orleans-style “second line” parade at noon on Saturday.

Thank you to all our 2017 Sponsors for making this inaugural Nanaimo Jazz Festival possible.

All photographs on the site are courtesy of HA Photography, unless otherwise noted.

Home Section – Jazz in Nanaimo Events

Jazz Events Listings

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