Jacksonville Jazz Festival making move back to Metropolitan Park, adding Daily's Place
The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is moving down the street this year, returning to one of its former venues and breaking in a new one.
The festival, which brings some of the biggest names in jazz and R&B music to downtown Jacksonville for free concerts, is scheduled for May 24-26 — Memorial Day weekend.
No performers have been announced, but the festival will move from two locations along Bay Street, where it was held for the last two years, to Metropolitan Park and at Daily's Place, the amphitheater attached to EverBank Stadium.
The festival started in 1980 in Mayport and moved to Metropolitan Park the following year. No festivals were held in 2001 or 2002, but it came back to the park in 2003 with Tony Bennett as headliner. It moved to the downtown streets in 2009 and has since seen stages at J. Weldon Johnson Park, the Duval County courthouse, the Jacksonville Landing, Ford on Bay, the Shipyards and Riverfront Plaza.
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The covered stage at Metropolitan Park was the main venue for the festival when it was held there, but the pavilion was torn down in 2016 after city inspectors found it was unsafe. Temporary stages have been used for Metropolitan Park concerts since.
This year's jazz festival will kick off on Thursday, May 23, with the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, on the Florida Theatre stage, followed by three days of free jazz in the park and at Daily's Place.
One stage will be set up in Metropolitan Park, and performers will also appear on the stage at Daily's Place, which is under cover and could keep the festival going if it rains. The city is considering putting some events in the Flex Field behind Daily's Place, but the stadium itself will not be used for the festival, said April Hartwich, senior marketing manager for the city's office of Sports & Entertainment.
Hartwich said the festival should start announcing performers in the next few weeks.
Where is the Jacksonville Jazz Festival in 2024?
This year, the festival will move to Metropolitan Park and Daily's Place.
When is the 2024 Jacksonville Jazz Festival?
The festival kicks off Thursday, May 23, with the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition at the Florida Theatre. The festival continues Friday through Sunday, May 24-26.
Is the Jacksonville Jazz Fest free?
Yes. Performances at Metropolitan Park and Daily's Place are free.
What's the lineup for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival?
No performers have been announced yet. Stay tuned.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jazz Festival 2024 relocating to Met Park, Daily's Place
