Going to the Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest? Here's ticket info, what's new and more

Dominique Shank grew up attending the Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest with her father, Michael Shank.

A native of Columbus, Dominique followed her father, who was an avid jazz fan, to all the concerts they could get to each year.

Now, just two months into her job as the community relations chief at Columbus Parks and Recreation, Dominique is helping the festival return for the first time in two years, after COVID shut everything down. She knows how important the festival, now entering its 41st year, is to the community of Columbus.

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"It’s been a staple in Columbus for over 40 years," Shank said. "People look forward to that. We are offering a tremendous lineup, we have top-notch barbecue and we want people to come out and be safe with their families."

About this year's Jazz & Rib Fest

There are a few new things at this year’s festival, including the addition of barbecue week, which runs July 18-24 featuring restaurants and food trucks serving barbecue specials all week. Barbecue week culminates with the Jazz & Rib Fest.

Here is a complete breakdown of what you can expect, food, parking, headliners and more.

Is there a fee?

No, admission is free.

Where does the Columbus Jazz & Rib Festtake place?

It will be held along the Scioto Mile Downtown riverfront at Bicentennial Park, 233 S. Civic Center Drive, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Who is providing the food?

Shank said there’s a key component that makes the Jazz & Rib Fest different from other summer festivals —the ribs — along with the festival food.

There will be 20 rib vendors at the festival, including After Hours BBQ, local company Off The Bone, and many others.

For a full look at the barbecue vendors, visit https://bit.ly/3RBCGI0.

In addition to the barbecue vendors, there will also be 17 trucks available.

For a full list of the food truck vendors, visit: www.hotribscooljazz.org. 

Jazz performers to enjoy

It wouldn’t be the Jazz & Rib Fest without the music, and the lineup is loaded with nationally acclaimed artists.

There will be three stages — the Bicentennial Stage, Genoa Park Stage and the Main Street Stage — with concerts going on all day on each. The headliners include Lalah Hathaway, Robert Glasper, Boney James, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Kirk Whalum and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

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Each of the headliners will perform on the Bicentennial stage, with Glasper taking the stage first on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Hathaway will perform on Friday at 9 p.m.

The Spanish Harlem Orchestra will perform on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and Grammy-nominated Boney James will take the stage on Saturday at 9 p.m.

Ending the weekend festival on Sunday will be Dee Dee Bridgewater performing with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra at 6:30 p.m., while Whalum will play at 4 p.m.

There will be more than just the headliners playing, though. Of note is a band called Charged Particles, which was started by former Ohio State faculty member Jon Krosnick before he took a new job at Stanford.

For the full schedule, visit: www.hotribscooljazz.org/full-schedule

Where can I park for the Jazz & Rib Fest?

Although admission to the festival is free, parking is not.

Parking is available throughout the Downtown area, including COSI, 333 W. Broad St., as well as at 200 Civic Center Drive and other area surface lots. It's important to note that illegally parked cars will be ticketed and towed.

There's also accessible parking available in area lots and parking garages.

For parking rates and availability, visit www.hotribscooljazz.org/directions-parking. 

Is there other transportation if I don't want to drive?

There are local bus routes that go through Downtown for the Jazz & Rib Fest. For schedules and details, visit www.cota.com.

You can also ride a bike or rent a CoGo bike to travel the trails and bikeways that lead to Scioto Mile. Bike valet parking will be located off the bike path behind the Bicentennial Park Stage.

Cameron Teague Robinson [email protected]; Twitter: @cj_teague 

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Jazz & Rib Fest 2022: Tickets, parking, schedule