The Rochester International Jazz Festival always brings an astounding mix of talent to over a dozen different venues in downtown Rochester. This summer marks the festival’s 20th edition, and its focus on excellence and music discovery will be as strong as ever. The festival draws thousands upon thousands of fans from across the globe to hear a wide mix of sounds, with a good portion of the music absolutely free of charge and open to the public.

The Rochester International Jazz Festival was started in 2002, and has only grown since. Its attendance was 15,000 people the first year, but it has ballooned to a whopping 208,000 attendees in 2019.
Jim Dolan/Rochester International Jazz Festival
The list of headliners over the years at this festival would impress just about anybody. From Aretha Franklin to Tony Bennett to Dave Brubeck to many, many others, the Rochester International has booked heavyweight headliners from the start.
Peter Parts/Rochester International Jazz Festival
The festival is programmed in a European-style format, which means that fans can walk between venues.
Don Ver Ploeg/Rochester International Jazz Festival

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The three major components of the festival are the headliner series, which is a mix of ticketed concerts and free outdoor shows; the club pass series, which allows you to purchase a pass to watch your pick of 192 shows at 11 venues; and the free show series, which gives fans the choice to watch over 100 free shows at venues and outdoor stages.
Don Ver Ploeg/Rochester International Jazz Festival
The festival is also a vehicle for education and exploration. It hosts jazz workshops for students and additionally it holds a nightly jam session during the festival at the Hyatt Regency Rochester.
Thom Bell/Rochester International Jazz Festival
The festival also established a jazz scholarship program at the Eastman School of Music. Since 2002, RIJF has contributed $276,500 in scholarships to 48 students. Every year, a free concert is held to honor and showcase the winners.
Garry Geer/Rochester International Jazz Festival
The Artistic Director & Producer of the festival is John Nugent, a musician and producer who has performed with everyone from Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett to The Temptations and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Garry Geer/Rochester International Jazz Festival

You don’t have to just be a jazz lover to enjoy the Rochester International Jazz Festival. You just have to love music. It’s an eclectic mix of artists—this year, headliners will include Bonnie Raitt and Keb’ Mo’—and, if you attend, you will surely find something to love. If you need bite to eat in between sets, why not check out The Mad Hatter, an Alice In Wonderland themed restaurant in the city.

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Rochester International Jazz Festival, 250 East Ave 2nd floor, Rochester, NY 14604, USA