Jazz Festivals and Concerts

There are many people who enjoy jazz, and as a result there are several jazz festivals and concerts in Wilmington NC and the surrounding area that are staged each year. The events will be publicized as they occur on Wilmington Today’s website and social media platforms.

North Carolina Jazz Festival

The oldest of the music festivals held in the area is the North Carolina Jazz Festival, which will celebrate its 43rd anniversary from February 2-4, 2023. This three-day event, held in the ballroom at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside, features nationally known as well as local jazz musicians.

Fifteen jazz all-stars play seven sets each night on Friday and Saturday nights while Thursday is a Special Event Night featuring different styles of jazz.

Adrian Cunningham, the popular and talented Australian reed player who now makes his home in New York City, will again lead the Thursday night jam session, as he did in 2016 to the delight of the sold-out crowd. That should serve as a warning for the coming year: buy your tickets early to avoid being disappointed.

For more information visit www.ncjazzfestival.com.

There are other jazz festivals held in the area too.

Pleasure Island Seafood Blues and Jazz Festival

Seafood, blues and jazz have proven to be a winning combination for the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. The Pleasure Island Seafood Blues & Jazz Festival, slated for October 8-9, 2016, is sure to be a big hit once again. The event will sell out, so it is always best to buy tickets early. The Festival continues to attract record-setting crowds and there is every reason to believe that the upcoming event will do so again.

The Festival celebrates its 23rd anniversary in 2016. With nationally recognized performers, wonderful coastal cuisine, natural beauty and crisp salt air, the Festival committee produces a great event each year. The Fort Fisher Military Recreational Area in Kure Beach is the site for the Festival.

For more information visit www.pleasureislandnc.org.

Jazz at the Cameron Art Museum

The Cameron Art Museum is the venue for a series of evening concerts, known as Jazz at the Cam. Such well-known local performers as Grenoldo Frazier and Benny Hill as well as talented musicians from other areas are featured in this series from October 2022-April 2023

For more information visit www.cameronartmuseum.org.