All the lineups have now been posted for the 35th annual Beaches International Jazz Festival, taking place from July 6th to 30th. Over the years, it has grown into one of Canada’s largest free jazz festivals, attracting nearly a million attendees throughout its month-long span.
The Beaches International Jazz Festival takes place in the Beaches community of Toronto, with events taking place at different venues. Stage concerts are held in several parks throughout the area, and StreetFest energizes a two-kilometre stretch of Queen Street East. The festival dates and venues for 2023 are:
- July 6th – 9th: Sounds of Leslieville & Riverside (Jimmie Simpson Park)
- July 14th – 16th: Salsa on the Beach (Woodbine Park)
- July 20th – 23rd: Main Stage – TD Weekend (Woodbine Park)
- July 27th – 29th: StreetFest – spanning 2 km along Queen St E (Woodbine Ave – Beech Ave)
- July 28th – 30th: OLG Weekend Series (Woodbine Park)
The first night of the festival will feature the highly anticipated return of the popular band Five Alarm Funk, known for their horn-powered, percussion-fueled sound and electrifying performances.
Here are the complete lineups for the first weekend of the festival on the Main Stage at Jimmie Simpson Park (870 Queen St E).
Thursday, July 6:
7:00 PM: STEINWALL
9:00 PM: Five Alarm Funk
Friday, July 7:
3:30 PM: The Brigham Phillips “Little” Big Band
7:15 PM: Stacey Renee
9:00 PM: Neon Nostalgic
Saturday, July 8:
11:00 AM: Swing Toronto Band Free Swing Dance Lesson
11:30 AM: Martin Loomer & the Orange Devils
2:00 PM: The Jazz Mechanics
4:30 PM: Alex Porat
6:00 PM: Accolades
7:30 PM: The Quincy Bullen Family Band
9:00 PM: LAZO and The Exodus
Sunday, July 9:
11:00 AM: Christian Overton & the Composer’s Collective
1:15 PM: Swing Shift Big Band
3:30 PM: MOKA
5:00 PM: GRACE
6:30 PM: Jerome Tucker Band
Other highlights of the festival include the return of Dr. Draw to Streetfest on the weekend of July 27th. Dr. Draw is the pioneering violinist who seamlessly combines rock and classical influences with electronic music.
The Festival now employs approximately 1000 artists annually, featuring 50 bands for its StreetFest event on Queen Street East. Click to see the complete lineup for Salsa on the Beach, the Woodbine Park Main Stage and StreetFest. Beaches Jazz Festival, July 6th- 30th 2023.
