Halifax Jazz Fest prepares for 40th anniversary on the waterfront, adds new boardwalk series

The Halifax Jazz Fest's artistic director is sharing an insider’s view of this year's event.

The TD Halifax Jazz Festival is set to kick off on Tuesday, and programs are available around the municipality showcasing the upcoming lineups.

“The majority of our programming is free, which is something we’re really proud of,” says the festival’s artistic director Andrew Jackson.

He says there will be free live programming on the waterfront main stage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday next week.

“We’d like to celebrate our history while looking forward to the future,” he says, noting the festival will be marking its 40th anniversary. “So, we’ve got lots of headlining acts that are going to be taking place on the Halifax waterfront.”

Men I Trust, Bahamas and the Mellotones are some of the performers lined up for the festival.

“We work year-round to make it happen, then when everything comes together… you see the fruits of your labour coming together,” says Jackson.

He adds the festival is introducing a new boardwalk series, an initiative introducing three different stages for when the festival site closes for the evening.

“So, we’ll have music all along the waterfront. For people that are just walking around, if you’re just enjoying a nice evening on the waterfront, you can check out music in a nice, casual way,” he says.

He refers to the initiative as a great and accessible opportunity to take in new sounds.

“If you’re not familiar with jazz or jazz-like programming, you can just take it in. You might discover new music,” says Jackson.

Ticketed and free event information can be found on the Halifax Jazz Festival website.

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