Performers excited to be back at Saskatchewan Jazz Festival
After two years without a full-scale event, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival is officially underway and artists are looking forward to performing live again.
“I’m quite excited actually,” Dave Nelson, a member of the Dave Nelson Quartet told CTV News.
“It’s been two years since we have been able to show our skills and communicate to an audience.”
Nelson will be taking the stage at Victoria Park on Saturday with his band then sticking around to play with the Oral Fuentes Reggae Band. His band didn’t play in the past two Jazz Festivals, which were impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he said he played at every other one since 1988.
“It means a lot to be back,” he said. “I think it very definitely brings the city together.”
Saskatchewan Jazz Festival executive director Shannon Josdal shared Nelson’s enthusiasm.
“Everything old is new again, and we’re really excited about a new and fresh lineup,” Josdal said.
In total, there are over 60 concerts at various locations in the city, featuring more than 100 individual artists. Josdal said they are expecting roughly 75,000 people to attend the event between all the venues.
Some of the Festival's lineup includes Arkells with Mighty & Shawnee Kish, Patti Labelle, Bahamas with Ruby Waters and the Strumbellas.
“This is day three and we’re already having a fantastic time. Crowds have been great,” Josdal said.
Artists are playing at several location throughout the city including Bessborough Gardens, Victoria Park, Second Avenue Stage, the Broadway Theatre, KW Nasser Plaza and The Bassment and Amigos Cantina.
“We’re always excited to be part of the Jazz Festival, it’s a great festival and to be included is quite an honour,” Amigos Cantina manager Jim Clarke said.
The tavern is hosting a five shows throughout the eight-day event. For Clarke it provides his business with publicity, and he says also creates a buzz around town.
“Things are lightning up and people are getting out and it’s really quite exciting.”
This year marks the Festival’s 35th anniversary.
It runs from June 20 until July 7.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.