The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is on its 13th year and more fantastic than ever! The music this year was lively and made you want to move to the music. It included Gary Burton, Danilo Perez and Deodato (pictured above) as the featured artists as well as many more on multiple stages throughout St. Paul. The main stage is outdoors, in the green and open environment of Mears Park, in Lowertown St. Paul. So even if you can’t find somewhere to sit or stand in the crowd, you can hear the music from one of the outdoor patios of the nearby restaurants.
The Jazz Festival is mostly about the music, but the people that attend are what make it. I swear every year the number of people that attends doubles from the year before. I don’t know how many people were there this year, but I heard that they were expecting some 30,000 (though don’t take my word for it). I love the people-watching as much as I love the music. There were mohawks and babies, urbanites, suburbanites, and those from the more rural areas, couples and even a few horse-drawn carriages…
Did you go? What was your favorite part? Or do you have a favorite outdoor musical festival in your area?