Vancouver’s Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival features live music, art displays, free concerts, ticketed events and family-friendly activities.
In 2023 the festival runs from July 20th to the 23rd. A new event this year is the Cool Blues Show which takes place at Fort Langley Park on the Friday and Saturday. Early-bird tickets for both days of the Cool Blues Show are $100 up until April 30th. After that, they cost $120. There are also lots of free concerts on the Saturday and Sunday during the day.
For details about the festival, see below or visit the official Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival website.
COOL BLUES SHOW
New for the 2023 festival, the Cool Blues Show takes place on July 21st and 22nd. The event features two stages with live music as well as food trucks, art installations, a beer garden and more at Fort Langley Park. It’s going to be so much fun!
Artists performing at the Cool Blues Show in 2023 include the Ruthie Foster Band, Five Alarm Funk, The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer, My Son the Hurricane, Crystal Shawanda, Silent Partners and other bands.
Tickets for each night of the event cost $65 for adults or $30 for youth ages 13 to 18. Weekend passes are also available for between $100 and $120 depending on when you get them.
For tickets and more information, visit the fortlangleyjazzfest.com website.
Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival
In 2023 the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival runs from Thursday, July 20th, until Sunday, July 23rd.
The first event of the year is the Big Band Swing Dance at the Fort Langley Community Hall. In 2023 the event takes place on Friday, May 12th, so well before the rest of the festival in July. This year’s Big Band Swing Dance includes a silent auction fundraiser in support of the festival. The event also features music by The Dal Richards Orchestra.
On the first day of the actual festival, on Thursday, July 20th, there is the Big Band Community Concert at Fort Langley Community Hall.
The Cool Blues Show takes place on July 21st and 22nd in 2023. This ticketed event runs from 5:00 until 10:00 pm at Fort Langley Park on both days. Headliners include Ruthie Foster and Five Alarm Funk. The two-day event also offers a beer garden, food trucks, artist vendors, games and more.
As of mid-March, full details about other events in 2023 are to be confirmed. We do, however, know a few things. The same as in past years, free concerts again take place outside the Fort Langley Community Hall on the Saturday and Sunday. Free live music also happens at the Youth & Emerging Artists Stage in front of the CN Station, at the Indigenous Stage in Bedford Plaza, and at the Art Zone in front of the post office on Mary Avenue. There is also a Jazz Vespers service on the Sunday at St. Andrew’s United Church.
For tickets and full details see the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival website.
Mardi Gras Strolling Parade Video
A tradition at the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival is the annual Mardi Gras Strolling Parade. It had to be scaled down in 2020 due to COVID-19. It remained much smaller in 2021 than in pre-pandemic times too. The 2022 parade took place in its usual format last year. In 2023 it happens on Saturday, July 22nd.
The following video of the parade was taken at the festival in 2020. It’ll give you a rough idea of what you can expect at future events. 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. The parade began in front of Fort Langley Community Hall. From there the procession went along Glover Road, into Gasoline Alley and down to the Fort Langley Heritage Train Station.
Art at the Festival
The Odlum Brown 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 2023 there is the Indigenous Art & Culture Exhibition at Bedford Plaza. This zone showcases local Indigenous art, cultural exhibits and music. There will also be a presentation with Pow Wow drummers and dancers.
In 2023 there is also an Art Zone on the grassy area by the Fort Langley Post Office. Here there are art exhibits, workshops, arts & crafts stations and demonstrations. There is also a stage with music.
The same as last year, in 2023 there is also Art in the Garden presented by the Fort Langley Artist Group. Last year it took place on the Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. It happens at 9054 Glover Road outside what used to be the Birthplace of BC Gallery. At this event visitors can admire a variety of art and interact with the artists. 2023 dates and times for Art in the Garden are to be confirmed.
Other Information
To learn more about the art displays and concerts, visit the fortlangleyjazzfest.com website or see our main article about the Odlum Brown 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
