NIAGARA, Ontario (CelebrityAccess) — Organizers for the Niagara Jazz Festival have revealed the programming lineup for the 12th edition of the festival, which returns to Canada’s Niagara region across multiple weekends in June.
Set for June 14, June 20–22, and June 27–29, the festival will feature a full slate of Canadian artists. For the June 14 kickoff, Niagara Jazz will host the first annual Big Easy 2nd Line Celebration in Downtown Niagara Falls on Queen Street, with scheduled performances from Turbo Street Funk and the Dragon Ritual Drummers.
Summer Mardi Gras will return in 2025, taking place Friday, June 20, at the Oakes Garden Theatre in Niagara Falls, in partnership with the Niagara Parks Commission. The show will feature Canadian jazz artists Red Hot Ramble and the Heavyweights Brass Band, along with surprise special guests from New Orleans. That same day, the Late-Night Music Jam will take place at Taps Brewhouse, allowing musicians to improvise with the Niagara Jazz Festival house trio.
On June 21, Niagara Jazz will host pop-up events at locations throughout the region, though a lineup and specific venues have yet to be announced. Additionally, June 21 will mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Canadian brass and vocal band The Shuffle Demons, with a performance at The Exchange Cultural Hub and Market in Niagara Falls.
The final weekend (June 27–29) kicks off with Soul Jazz in the Vineyard at the Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery on Friday, featuring the Quincy Bullen Band with Quisha Wint on vocals.
Saturday will debut a new event, the Distill & Chill BBQ, at Forty Creek Distillery in Grimsby. The show will feature Joel Parisien and his band, along with a BBQ spread provided by Timmerman and Billard.
On Sunday, the festival’s annual Music in the Park event will take place at Battle of Beaverdams Park in Thorold. This free event will include two full stages of jazz and world music, an artisan marketplace, a Kids Zone, food trucks, beverage vendors, and more.
For 2025, Niagara Jazz is partnering with MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS/The JUNO Awards, to extend the festival’s impact and support the next generation of musicians. Niagara Jazz Festival will donate $1 per ticket sold this summer to support MusiCounts.
“We are very proud to be celebrating our 12th season of the Niagara Jazz Festival! This summer will feature an exciting lineup of talented Canadian jazz and world music artists, with a selection of special guest artists from Holland, Germany, Cuba, Cape Verde, and New Orleans—the birthplace of jazz!” said Juliet Dunn, Festival Co-Creator and Executive Artistic Producer. “This year, we’re excited to showcase a range of incredible talent at venues throughout Niagara Falls, Thorold, Grimsby, and St. Catharines. From parks and wineries to distilleries, breweries, and beyond, the festival will highlight the rich variety of unique experiences the Niagara Region has to offer.”
