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One of the biggest local events of the year, the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival, will return on Saturday, July 15 from noon to 7 p.m. to Saunders Park Greene at 39th and Powelton. The 11th edition of the festival, which has grown from a few hundred attendees to more than 3,000, will feature the “New Wave of Jazz.” Philadelphia saxophonist Jaleel Shaw will be headlining the event.

This year, the FREE festival offers a family-friendly event showcasing the best of Philadelphia: a mix of up and coming young artists who are shaping the future of jazz, a diverse gathering of people, a view of the city and a chance to enjoy a neighborhood that is rich in arts and culture.

Artisans and vendors along with a variety of specialty food trucks will be on site. Activities such as a moon bounce, face painting, community resources and digital pop-up computer lab will be available for everyone’s enjoyment. Free parking is available one block away at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s lot at Powelton Avenue and State Street. 

Also performing on the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival stage are performers Matthew Clayton on sax, the vocalist V. Shayne Fredrick, Josh Lawrence on trumpet, vocalist Lee Mo, Nazir Ebo on drums, and Phoenix Mystique. The Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble will also be back by popular demand, courtesy of The Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

The community that organizes and supports the Lancaster Avenue Jazz Festival is dedicated to increasing the profile of arts and culture institutions in West Philadelphia. People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival committee will honor James Dupree and J. Michael Harrison for their outstanding contributions to advancing arts and culture for youth, this community, and the world. The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia will also grant Lifetime Achievement awards to some musicians.

The goals of the Festival include: celebrating jazz performers under the age of 40, increasing awareness of the Lancaster Avenue commercial corridor, stimulating the local economy, energizing the community, bringing together partners, and highlighting the community’s rich cultural arts and educational assets. For more information, go to www.lancasteravejazzfest.com and facebook.com/LancAveJazzFest.

The rain date is Sunday, July 16.

Check out the highlights from last year’s festival dedicated to Women in Jazz: