The 40th Annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday once again brings top name performers to Coachman Park Stage. The Clearwater Jazz Holiday is one of the year’s biggest events in Tampa Bay. Each year, thousands of area residents come to Clearwater’s Coachman Park to enjoy four days of swinging jazz surrounded by warm breezes and wafts of sea-salty air. This year’s 40th annual Jazz Festival will begin on Thursday, Oct. 17, and continue until Sunday, Oct. 20.
This year’s featured artists include Boyz II Men, Trombone Shorty (Feature Image TOP) & Orleans Avenue, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Chicago (LEFT) and Alison Krauss (Below RIGHT). Presented by the HCI Group, These five headliners will conclude each day’s entertainment, but there are plenty of other groups scheduled to play throughout the day during Clearwater Jazz Holiday. Daily tickets are available, along with four-day tickets and special VIP tickets for those who want to get up close and personal.
Clearwater Jazz Holiday Performance Schedule:
Gates open for the 40th Annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday with Jammin’ Ghent, Polyrhyhmics and The Soul Rebels taking the stage before the arrival of Boyz II Men for an 8:30 p.m. performance. On Friday, gates will open at 4 with Gloria West and The Gents first to take the stage, followed by Marcia Ball and by Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Headline group Trombone Shorty& Orleans Avenue will rock the park before the Clearwater Jazz Holiday’s Official After Party, hosted by Alion Sams presented by The Living Room at the Bilheimer Capitol Theater in Downtown Clearwater.
Daily, Four-Day and Weekend tickets are available for both General Admission and Reserved Seating. General Admission tickets for kids 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by a paid adult. VIP tickets are also available online and include reserved seating and access to a hospitality area near the stage. There are no exchanges, refunds or re-entry, rain or Shine. The Schedule and Artists are subject to change. Tickets and more complete information on this year’s Clearwater Jazz Holiday are available online at ClearwaterJazz.com. Online ticket sales will close Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.
Gates open at 1:45 on Saturday with Clearwater Junior High’s Young Lions presenting Jazz Master Sessions featuring James Suggs opening the day’s lineup. The University of Miami Frost Jazz Ensemble will be next, featuring Dafnis Prieto. Then there will be a 40th anniversary tribute to Jazz Vocalists, featuring Karen Benjey, Erica DiCeglie, Valerie Gillespie, Fred Johnson, Theo Valentin, Belinda Womack and La Lucha.
The crowd will cheer the arrival of Blood, Sweat & Tears (LEFT) at 7:15 on Saturday to enjoy their great show, only to be treated to the music of Chicago starting at 9:15. Following the last number by Chicago, a great Fireworks Show over the water will be presented by HCA West Florida Pinellas County Hospitals.
On Sunday, gates will open at 1:15 p.m. with the combined Ruth Eckerd Hall and Clearwater Junior High Youth Jazz Band with special guest Dafnis Prieto, followed by Ashley Smith & The Random Occurrence, Parsonsfield, and the Yonder Mountain String Band. Multi-Grammy® award winner Alison Krauss will take the stage with her unique country and bluegrass music from 8:30 to 10 p.m. to wrap up this year’s Clearwater Jazz Holiday.
Daily, Four-Day and Weekend tickets are available for both General Admission and Reserved Seating. General Admission tickets for kids 12 and under are FREE when accompanied by a paid adult. VIP tickets are also available online and include reserved seating and access to a hospitality area near the stage. There are no exchanges, refunds or re-entry, rain or Shine. The Schedule and Artists are subject to change. Tickets and more complete information on this year’s Clearwater Jazz Holiday are available online at ClearwaterJazz.com. Online ticket sales will close Oct. 16 at 8 p.m.
Content provided by Jackie McCallum photos courtesy and subject to copyright for each bands. Expressed written permission must be done for any commercial use.