Fort Langley Jazz Festival

The Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival is a music festival in the summer each year. Some of its events are free and others are ticketed.

This is one of our favourite festivals of the year and highly recommended. In 2023 it ran from July 20th until July 23rd. In 2024 the festival takes place from July 19th to 21st.

This article contains the following information about the festival:

Fort Langley Jazz Festival in 2023

In 2023 the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz Festival ran from Thursday, July 20th, until Sunday, July 23rd. This past year the festival happened in-person with live entertainment. There were indoor and outdoor venues with free and ticketed shows.

The festival in 2023 featured over five dozen different performances and 300 musicians. As many as 20,000 people were expected to attend. 2024’s festival run will likely be similar in attendance and performing acts.

Click Fort Langley Jazz for the festival’s official website.

Where and When

The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival takes place at a number of venues in Fort Langley. The main venue is at the Community Hall which is located at 9167 Glover Road in the heart of the village. Other stages are scattered around the town.

The community of Fort Langley itself is located on the Fraser River in the northern part of the Township of Langley on the opposite side of the river from Maple Ridge.

The first event that happened in 2023 was the Big Band Swing Dance. It took place on May 12th, so a couple of months before the actual festival begins. It’s an early fundraiser that helps support the rest of the festival in the summer.

The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival ran from Thursday, July 20th, until Sunday, July 23rd. The festival once again had free outdoor venues including the Main Stage in front of the Community Hall. In 2023 there was also the Youth & Emerging Artist Stage, Indigenous Stage, and the Art Zone. The opening free big band concert took place inside the hall on the Thursday as well.

Kick-off Headliner Jazz Concert took place on Thursday, July 20th, at Chief Sepass Theatre. Then, on the Friday and Saturday of July 21st and 22nd, there was a ticketed, gated area for two nights of Cool Blues that featured a couple of stages, a beer garden, food trucks and vendor area. Overall, the entire event was awesome!

Fort Langley Jazz with Christine Jensen

Tickets and 2023 Festival Details

Below is information about the Big Band Swing Dance, Cool Blues Show and other events that took place at the festival in 2023. 2024’s event will likely be similar in activities and performance, though this is still to be confirmed.

Big Band Swing Dance

This past year the Big Band Concert & Swing Dance happened at the Fort Langley Community Hall on Friday, May 12th. The event ran from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm and featured a silent auction and live music by The Dal Richards Orchestra. All proceeds from the auction helped support the festival.

For more information about the dance, visit the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz Festival website.

Cool Blues Show

There were also ticketed concerts at the Fort Langley Community Park, which is a new venue for 2023. The Cool Blues Show happened on the Friday and Saturday of July 21st and 22nd between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm. At the park there were two stages featuring back-to-back concerts with Blues & Roots music. There was also a beer garden, kids’ area and artisan market.

Headlining acts on the first day of the Cool Blues Show in 2023 included the Ruthie Foster Band, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, My Son the Hurricane, Cousin Harley, and Emmett Jerome & Hollywood Alberta. On the Saturday, headlining acts included Five Alarm Funk, Crystal Shawanda, Silent Partners, David Gogo Band and the Marcus Trummer Band.

Admission to each night of the Cool Blues Show cost $65 for adults (ages 19+) and $30 for youth. Kids ages 12 and under were admitted for free when attending with a paying adult. Weekend passes cost $100 until April 30th, and then rose to $120 thereafter.

For more details see the official 2023 Cool Blues Show page.

Other Events

Similar to previous years, there are both free and ticketed events at the festival. Most of the venues at 2023’s festival were the same as the year before, but a few were different. Below was what we expected (although exact details may have changed).

There weren’t concerts every evening at Chief Sepass Theatre this past year, nor was there a concert at the Fort Langley Historic Site. There were, however, free concerts outside the Fort Langley Community Hall on the weekend, plus free concerts at various other venues, as well as the Opening Night Concert at Chief Sepass Theatre on July 20th.

In 2023 there were four stages featuring free live music on the Saturday and Sunday. The main venue, the same as in past years, was on the lawn in front of the Fort Langley Community Hall. There was also the Youth & Emerging Artists Stage in front of the old CN Train Station, the Indigenous Stage at Bedford Plaza, and the Art Zone by the post office.

This past year also featured a Kidz Zone along Mary Avenue between Glover and Church Street. The area was open on the Saturday and Sunday of July 22nd and 23rd from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. There was a drum circle and a Music and Movement workshop. The Kidz Zone also featured face painting, origami art, a colouring contest and a water misting station.

Also happening in 2023, was a Jazz Vespers event on the Sunday at St. Andrew’s United Church where admission was by donation.

Click Fort Langley Jazz for the festival’s official website.

Jazz Festival Crowds in Fort Langley

2023 Free Concerts

The following events were free and outdoors in front of the Fort Langley Community Hall.

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

10:30 am – Rising Jazz Star
11:00 am – Gabriel Palatchi Trio
12:15 pm – Mark Crissinger
1:00 pm – Oliver Gannon and Bill Coon
2:15 pm – Doc Fingers
3:00 pm – Caity Gygorgy

Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

11:00 am – Jasmine Jazz
12:15 pm – Monty Biggins (Solo)
1:00 pm – Colin Sankey Trio
2:15 pm – Colin Sankey Trio
3:00 pm – Marios Vocal Project

In addition to the above, there was a free performance by the Dal Richards Orchestra inside the Fort Langley Community Hall at 1:00 pm on Thursday, July 20th. There was also the Mardi Gras Strolling Parade on the Saturday this past year, from 9:30 am until 10:00 am. It went from the site of the Fort Langley Farmers Market at St. Andrew’s United Church and made its way down Glover Road to Community Hall. Participating in the parade in 2023 were the Noxious Obs Society Band and the RazzMaJazz Ensemble.

Also on the Saturday and Sunday, there was live music and other things to see and do at various other venues. In 2023 the other stages were at the CN Station Stage, Bedford Plaza and by the Post Office on Mary Avenue. See below for more information about the free entertainment and activities that took place at these other venues.

Jazz Musicians Outside Fort Langley Train Station — Mardi Gras Parade Outside the Station Museum

Pop-Up Stages

Live music took place on a number of smaller stages around the village in 2022 and this was the case again in 2023. Crowds at these venues are generally smaller, but the music is all very good. In 2023 the Youth & Emerging Artist Stage was by the CN Train Station, the Indigenous Stage was at Bedford Plaza, and the Art Zone was by the post office.

CN Station Stage (Youth & Emerging Artist Stage)

This stage was in front of Fort Langley’s CN Station located at 23245 Mavis Avenue. It showcased youth and emerging artists. In 2023 live music at this venue included the following:

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

12:30 pm – Feven Kidane Quartet
1:45 pm – The Perpetual Jazz Trio
3:00 pm – Serengeti

Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

12:30 pm – Jake Kostuchuk Quartet
1:45 pm – The Jaya Bremer Quintet
3:00 pm – Monty Biggins – Little Biggs Band

Click Fort Langley Jazz for the festival’s official website.

Art Zone Stage

The Art Zone Stage in 2022 was at the intersection of River Road & Mavis Avenue in the picnic area next to the National Historic Fort. In 2023 it was on Mary Avenue by the Fort Langley Post Office. In addition to the stage, as the venue’s name suggests, there is lots of beautiful art on display. 2023 performances in the Art Zone included the following:

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

12:30 pm – Susana Williams
1:45 pm – Urban Bandscape
3:00 pm – Omianan

Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

12:30 pm – Alvin Brendan Organ Trio
1:45 pm – Raagaverse
3:00 pm – Blues Hoodoo

Noxious Obs Society Band at Fort Langley Station — Noxious Obs Society at the CNR Station

Indigenous Stage

This stage was located at Bedford Landing near the river at 9271 Glover Road. The area was also where you can also see Indigenous artifacts and exhibits. Performers in 2023 included the following:

Saturday, July 22nd, 2023

11:30 am – Wild River Singers
1:00 pm – Celeigh Cardinal
2:00 pm – Wild River Singers
3:00 pm – Curtis Clear Sky & the Constellationz

Sunday, July 23rd, 2023

12:00 pm – Wild River Singers
1:00 pm – Celeigh Cardinal
2:00 pm – Wild River Singers
3:00 pm – Hayley Wallis

Click Fort Langley Jazz for the festival’s official website.

Fort Langley's Bedford Plaza — Bedford Plaza Stage

History of the Jazz Festival

The Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz Festival is a fabulous event! It’s fun, family-friendly and affordable, and it takes place in a beautiful setting. It also features amazing Jazz musicians and concerts.

Since its beginning in 2018, the festival took place as a live event in its first two years and then as a primarily virtual event in 2020. In 2021 it ran as a hybrid festival with a mix of pre-recorded, live-streamed and in-person concerts and events. In 2022 the festival was back with lots of in-person activities. The same was the case in 2023.

Click Fort Langley Jazz for the festival’s official website.

Jazz Festival Video

To give you an idea of what to expect, check out the following video that features the sights and sounds of the festival from a past year. As you’ll see, there is lots of live music as well as art displays and food to enjoy.

Featured in the video are Mike Vaneyes (in the distance), Blues Hoodoo, the local Rotary Club (at the pancake breakfast), and the Conga Cartel.

Tips & Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your Fort Langley Jazz Festival experience.

TIP #1: You can park for free on various streets in the town of Fort Langley. Go early though to improve your chances of finding a spot that doesn’t require you to walk too far. Parking is also available at 8870 Glover Road (in the parking lot of the Fort Langley Evangelical Free Church) and at 9095 Glover Road (at Living Waters Church).

TIP #2: Take your own blanket or chair to sit on. Seating is available at the Saturday dance and Sunday’s Soul & Gospel Choir Concert, but not at the other events (or at least that was the case in 2019).

TIP #3: If it’s a sunny day, don’t forget to take a hat, sunscreen and bottled water.

TIP #4: Don’t spend all your time by the main stages in front of the Community Hall. Walk around and explore the area. Great bands play at the other venues too!

TIP #5: So long as they’re on a leash, dogs are permitted at the festival. You are also welcome to bring your own food. There are food trucks though, so you can buy your meals and snacks on-site or around town too.

TIP #6: The festival venue is a smoke-free environment. That extends to vaping as well as other products recently legalized in Canada.