Metro Vancouver’s Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival features live music, art displays, free concerts, ticketed events and family-friendly activities.
In 2024 the festival runs from July 25th to 28th.
A new event last year was the Cool Blues Show which took place at Fort Langley Community Park. In 2024 the Cool Blues Show happens on July 26th at the same venue. It’s going to be an awesome event!
For details about the festival, see below or visit the official Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival website.
COOL BLUES SHOW
The second edition of the Cool Blues Show takes place on Friday, July 26th in 2024. The event features great live music as well as food trucks, art installations, a beer garden and more at Fort Langley Community Park.
Artists performing at the Cool Blues Show in 2024 include Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, Rick Estrin and The Nightcats, Miss Emily, Silent Partners, and Tom Lavin and the Legendary Powder Blues.
For tickets and more information about the festivities on July 26th, visit the fortlangleyjazzfest.com website.
Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival
In 2024 the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival runs from Thursday, July 25th, until Sunday, July 28th. The festival happens in Fort Langley which is a beautiful historic village.
The first event is a fundraiser at Fort Langley Community Hall. Tribute to Motown & More takes place at 8:00 pm on Friday, May 3rd. It features music with Big City Soul, along with the usual dancing and silent auction (with proceeds supporting the festival in July).
Then, between May 26th and July 14th in 2024, there’s the Youth Concert Series Showcase. It’s a set of free performances by local jazz bands outside the Fort Langley Historic CNR Station leading up to the festival.
On the first day of the actual festival in 2024, so on Thursday, July 25th, there’s A Tribute to Duke Ellington. The ticketed event starts at 1:00 pm in the Fort Langley Community Hall’s ballroom. It includes music by the Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra.
Then on Friday, July 26th, there’s the Cool Blues Show at Fort Langley Community Park. It’s a ticketed event starting at 5:00 pm with headliners such as Rick Estrin and The Nightcats, Miss Emily, and Tom Lavin and the Legendary Powder Blues Band. The one-day event also offers a beer garden, food trucks, market vendors, games and more.
On the following day, so on Saturday, July 27th, there’s a performance by Jake and Elwood’s Blues Brothers Revue. The Show and Dance event is a tribute to the Blues Brothers also held at the Fort Langley Community Hall. Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm.
The Mardi Gras Strolling Parade returns this year as well. There’s also lots of free concerts to enjoy on outdoor stages throughout the weekend. Expect to see activities for kids, market vendors, art workshops and more on the Saturday and Sunday.
For tickets and full details, see the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival website.
Mardi Gras Strolling Parade Video
A tradition at the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival is the annual Mardi Gras Strolling Parade. In 2024 the event happens on Saturday, July 27th at 9:30 am.
The following video of the parade was taken at the festival in 2020, so when it was scaled down due to COVID-19. It’ll give you a rough idea of what you can expect at this year’s event. It was a live march, but filmed in mid-August so it could be featured later as a virtual parade for 2020’s Jazz at Home event on the Labour Day Weekend. As you’ll see in the video, a couple of dozen musicians and other characters in costume participated.
Art at the Festival
The Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival isn’t just a music festival. It’s also an arts festival. As a result, each year, local artists showcase their work at the event.
In 2024 there’s an Art Zone across the street from the Community Hall. It’s where you’ll find impressive artwork, an outdoor painting challenge, and various art-related workshops over the weekend.
Other Information
To learn more about the art displays and concerts, visit the fortlangleyjazzfest.com website or see our main article about the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival.
To learn more about the area, see our articles about Fort Langley and the Fraser Valley.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s Shows & Entertainment Calendar
- Jazz in the Vine in Langley
- Lower Mainland Festivals & Events
- Vancouver International Jazz Festival
- Vancouver Events in July
