Capital Jazz Fest 2023 returns with an outstanding musical lineup and festivities for Black History Month and summer’s start – including contemporary jazz at Merriweather Post Pavilion!
Sunny Sumter traveled to the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island to gain insights on how DCJF could take their event to the next level. One lesson she gained was taking advantage of venue locations.
The 30th Annual Capital Jazz Fest
Since 1993, Capital Jazz Fest has drawn thousands of music lovers across the United States to its annual summer event. This year’s 30th Annual Capital Jazz Fest – popularly dubbed “Jazz Festival with Soul” – will take place June 2-4 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, just 30 miles outside Washington D.C. It offers three days of entertaining jazz and soul featuring an impressive roster of musical artists.
This year’s lineup features fan favorites Fantasia and Joe on the main Pavilion Stage and R&B great George Benson on the Symphony Woods Stage, plus first-time appearances by Corinne Bailey Rae, Incognito Band Loose Ends featuring Jane Eugene and Marsha Ambrosius – as well as multiple Grammy winner Ne-Yo drummer Jamison Ross trumpeter Johnny Britt pianist Matthew Whitaker and indie soul singer Conya Doss!
The Pavilion Stage will showcase contemporary jazz while Symphony Woods Stage (dark on Friday evening) will host R&B and soul performances – an eclectic combination that should appeal to various musical tastes. Furthermore, this year’s festival will have food, crafts, and special exhibits.
Attendees can also take advantage of various late-night events taking place at Live! Casino & Hotel. These include an Official After-Party featuring legendary DJs and Late Night Soul at The Casino; tickets to these events can be purchased separately from main festival passes.
Attendees seeking an exclusive Capital Jazz Fest 2023 experience can purchase VIP packages through ETIX. This package provides reserved seating under the Pavilion roof, private restrooms, and access to a VIP deck near the Pavilion Stage – offering them the ultimate Jazz Fest experience!
The Festival is an ideal way to mark Black Music Month since many participating musicians are black artists. Additional events are taking place all around town to commemorate Black Music Month, such as a healthy bites festival and Pride Month celebration; more details can be found at the event website. If you plan on attending the festival, get tickets quickly before they sell out!
June 2-4
At the beginning of June each year, music lovers from across the nation gather in Columbia, Maryland, for The Capital Jazz Fest – established in 1993 – to experience world-class jazz and soul performances, food & drink, parties, artist workshops & more! This festival offers something for every musical taste at this annual gathering!
This year, the festival marks its 30th anniversary with an exciting lineup sure to amaze audiences – from soulful R&B and classic jams to R&B crossover acts like Fantasia & Joe on Friday Night’s Pavilion Stage concert and then onto Live! Casino & Hotel for their official afterparty with legendary DJs as an official after-party!
Day two of the Festival showcases an eclectic lineup of jazz, R&B, and soul artists across two stages. Hosted by Marcellus “The Bassman” Shepard at the Pavilion stage are George Benson, Robert Glasper, and Moonchild as performers on that stage; then, after dark, attendees can stay to enjoy Kevin Ross, Teedra Moses, Raquel Rodriguez at Late-Night Soul for some late-night fun!
The festival will close out on Sunday with a final performance from soul music icon Dianne Reeves. She’ll perform her top-ten hits like ‘This Masquerade’ and ‘Give Me the Night’ with all their original grace since she first released them in the 1970s. Meanwhile, PJ Morton will dazzle audiences on the main stage with his unique mix of piano and drum music – sure to leave an indelible mark.
Capital Jazz Fest is an unmissable three-day festival for fans of jazz, R&B, and soul music. Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster for this festival, which also provides extras like a marketplace selling fine arts and crafts, culinary treats in its food court, hotel events, plus much more! For more information, please visit their website.
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Merriweather Post Pavilion, situated within Symphony Woods – an area of preserved land near Columbia, Maryland – is an outdoor amphitheater voted second-best by Billboard Magazine and hosts many famous artists and events throughout the year. Offering both lawn tickets and floor tickets as seating options, it also has an on-site hotel as well as other event amenities that attendees may purchase tickets separately.
The Capital Jazz Fest is a three-day musical event that attracts some of the best performers in both jazz and soul genres, such as George Benson, Moonchild, Fantasia Shanice Chante Moore Joe. There are two stages — Pavilion Stage and Symphony Woods Stage — at which visitors can witness live performances and participate in other activities available to attendees at this festival.
Interspersing musical sets are an immersive shopping experience in the Festival Marketplace; culinary treats at the food court; artist workshops, meet and greets; and official after-parties featuring even more jazz acts and legendary DJs.
For those searching for something extra luxurious, the festival provides several premium seating areas, such as Skylawn Lounge and Pavilion Stage. Both lounges offer bar service with private bathrooms for patrons. At the same time, Pavilion Stage boasts chairs and tables to sit upon – to be admitted, all attendees must comply with an extensive list of restrictions, including no weapons being carried into any event venue.
Capital Jazz Fest tickets range from $79 to $135 and can be purchased via Ticketmaster or in person. In partnership with Etix, ticketing and event management services will also be provided at this festival; attendees can use an interactive mobile app to find their ideal seat location and view set times and lineups.
The Capital Jazz Fest 2023 offers an excellent opportunity to experience some of the top jazz and soul artists from around the globe, discover emerging talent, and witness some of the most exquisite music this region can provide.
Tickets
Capital Jazz Fest ticket prices depend on several factors, including date, venue, and location. For optimal pricing, use the filters at the top of this page to find tickets that meet your budget needs before completing our secure checkout process and receiving them instantly!
At this festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion transforms into an epic music festival venue for an estimated audience of 20,000-person capacity. Attendees can access seated and general admission lawn seating options; ticket holders can select seats closer to the stage, such as sections 200-204, for optimal viewing experiences or opt for general admission pit seating in front of it for even better views. There is also an optional VIP Deck area located next to the Pavilion stage, which comes equipped with its bar, snacks, and restrooms at an additional cost.
Over the years, Capital Jazz Fest’s lineup of performers has read like an impressive Who’s Who of famous artists. Ranging from contemporary jazz and R&B/soul acts like Fantasia to Shanice Eric Benet Corinne Bailey Rae Moonchild PJ Morton Ne-Yo to three-time Grammy award winner Ne-Yo has performed at this festival in past years. Newcomers this year include trumpeter Matthew Whitaker, Conya Doss (Queen of Indie Soul), Chelsey Green violinist Chelsey Green, and rising stars Kevin Ross and Teedra Moses, among many other names!
Capital Jazz Fest 2023 promises to be an exhilarating event featuring the Michael Jackson Tribute in its festivities. Capital Jazz Fest 2023 highlights will include its official after-party at Live! Casino & Hotel featuring DJ Spinderella and Secret Society as the headline entertainment, unique shopping experiences at Festival Marketplace, tasty dining options in the food court, and plenty of culinary treats provided at Festival Marketplace and food court!
The Capital Jazz Fest is an annual Maryland tradition dating back to 1993 and drawing thousands of music enthusiasts each year to the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, 30 miles northeast of Washington, DC. For more information, visit their official website. Buying Capital Jazz Fest tickets has never been simpler thanks to SeatGeek; use their filters on the left-hand side of your screen to search by price or use Deal Score (which ranks tickets by value and tells you how great of a deal they are) so that once you find what you are looking for click its listing and complete their checkout process to complete your purchase of Capital Jazz Fest tickets.
