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CTV News
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
The cat's meow, Edmonton Jazz Festival wraps up this weekend
A band performs outdoors as part of the Edmonton Jazz Festival on June 27, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) The Edmonton Jazz Festival is wrapping up nine days of sultry songs and riffs this weekend. Organizers hope to promote jazz music with more than 150 musicians and shows at nine venues including La Cité francophone, Yardbird Suite and the Winspear Centre. The last headliner of the festival is Stargazers, a progressive rock band from Brooklyn, which has a show at the Starlite Room on Friday night. Edmonton-based band, Pure Octane, will open the show. It's the pairing of local talent with international artists that organizers hope will draw more people to jazz music. 'It helps not only to bring out folks to see locally, but also these bands that you may not have heard of but you get to experience,' Joshua Semchuk with the Edmonton Jazz Festival told CTV News Edmonton at La Cité francophone on Friday. He said the acoustics at the patio outside Café Bicyclette are 'amazing' as a live band performed for a crowd enjoying the warm weather and some food with the music. Edmonton Jazz Festival (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) People enjoy some live music at La Cite francophone. A band performs outdoors as part of the Edmonton Jazz Festival on June 27, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) All-local musicians are playing at La Cité francophone, with three bands set to play on Saturday afternoon. Spiral Flamenco, Brett Hansen's Confluence, and Audrey Ochoa on trombone are scheduled on the outdoor stage starting at noon. 'If you want to sit, go to Yardbird Suite,' Semchuk said, promoting shows at another venue too. '(It has) two shows with the fabulous Lorraine Desmarais Trio. She's got to be one of Canada's best jazz pianists,' he said, adding that shows will be at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Marquis Hill, a trumpeter from Chicago, will perform at Yardbird Suite on Saturday night. Kepler, a trio from Paris, will close out the venue on Sunday night. Semchuk said a family-friendly jazz show will take place at the Winspear Centre on the last day of the festival. 'It's the second iteration of the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra meets the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra,' he said. 'They're doing jazz Broadway songs for the entire family.' The show will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday and it will feature songs from Disney to classic jazz songs from Porgy and Bess. The Edmonton Jazz Festival has been running for 20 years. Information about tickets and the full show schedule can be found online. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Cam Wiebe
CTV News
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Jazz, Shakespeare, and Carnivals: Here's what's happening in Edmonton this weekend
A chance of rain is part of Saturday's forecast, but don't let that damper your weekend plans. The sunshine will come out and the temperature is expected to rise leading up to Canada Day. From jazz to Shakespeare, and from art to b-ball, we've got you covered. Here is what's happening in Edmonton this weekend. Downtown will be filled with notes of jazz and splashes of art It's your last chance to get your fix of jazz music as the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society wraps up on Sunday, closing out nine days of performances downtown. Venues like Continental Treat, La Cite francophone, Bellamy's Lounge at Chateau Lacombe, Yardbird Suite and the Winspear Centre will be filled with live music. Edmonton Jazz Festival (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) People enjoying live music at the Edmonton Jazz Festival on June 27, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) Saturday's lineup features 11 shows including Spiral Flamenco, Peter Van Huffel's Callisto and Marquis Hill. Sunday will round out the festival with three more shows from Jazz Brunch hosted by the Felt Hat String Band, Swinging Songs of Broadway: EJO meets ESO, and Kepler. Check out the full schedule online. The Works Art & Design Festival continues its 11-day run until July 1. A visual display of art, workshops and live performances will take over Churchill Square downtown. Make some paper flowers and butterflies, or craft your very own bag charm at some of the workshops on Saturday. Experiment with mushroom-inspired scents or use sunlight to create art as part of Sunday's workshops. The music of Graham Guest, Giselle Parker, Meera Sylvain , Erin Ross and more will liven the scene at the square. See the full schedule on their website. Enjoy in merriment, from theatre to musicals All the world's a stage as the Freewill Shakespeare Festival begins Friday at Louise Mckinney Riverfront Park. The troupe of actors will be performing As You Like It until July 20. Evening performances will run at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. Matinee performances will run at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Children under 12 are free. Tickets for adults, students and seniors can be purchased in advance online. Between the Lines: A New Musical will end its three-day run this weekend at Capitol Theatre at Fort Edmonton Park. The musical is based on an international bestselling book by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. It's a show that mixes an underdog story with elements of fairy tale and fantasy. Tickets can be purchased online. Cultural celebrations Fort Edmonton Park will host a Multicultural Weekend Jubilation from Saturday to Monday. Guests can lead up to the Canada Day celebrations by learning about different cultures and exploring the city's history. Added programs and events are marked on the park's calendar. While latino culture takes centre stage on Alberta Avenue with Edmonton Carnaval 2025. From Friday to Sunday, experience latino culture with food, games and music at the Alberta Avenue Community League. Admission and parking is free. Me encanta! Family Fun in Mill Woods Mill Woods Town Centre will have a special market this weekend. The Simply Canadian Market will be open during mall hours and will celebrate Canadian pride with local vendors and door prizes. The first 100 shoppers will get a free flag to wave. A Family Fun Fair will also take place outdoors at the mall's parking lot. Wild Rose Shows will bring the carnival to Mill Woods from Friday to Tuesday. Families can enjoy rides, carnival games, food and more. Sports, music and pride Hoping to catch some slam dunks? The Stingers will take to the court against the Scarborough Shooting Stars at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Sunday afternoon. The game starts at 4 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online. Edmonton Stingers Edmonton Stingers playing the Saskatchewan Rattlers in an undated file photo. (Courtesy: Edmonton Stingers) Make Music Edmonton returns on Saturday along 124 Street and the neighbouring area. The celebration of music of all forms and genres will include 14 free performances on four different stages from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.. And a celebration of the LGBTQS2+ community caps off the end of Pride Month with a finale party at Evolution Wonderlounge on Saturday. There is no cover price after 10:30 p.m. and DJ Mikey will be dropping beats that night.
