Victoria Park will be alive with the sound of music as of tonight (Fri) with the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival. Executive Director of the event, Shannon Josdal, explains that the move was spurred by the need to be more sustainable. The site is larger, meaning they could expand and when they looked at Victoria Park, they realized it had a lot of potential. Everything is expanded – the beer garden, the stage seating area, and the artisan market. There is also a family fun area, Art by the River and there will be plenty of food trucks on site. Also new this year, the free entertainment is for the first six days, followed by four days of ticketed shows.

If you are wondering the best way to get there, Josdal says the free SaskJazz shuttle has a route which stops downtown, in Riversdale and Broadway and it’s free. She adds that if there are concerns about accessibility because of the walk down the hill, you can book a cart to take you down.

As has always been the case, Josdal notes that it’s a jazz festival, but jazz is one of the founding genres of contemporary music so the entertainment also includes rock, pop, world music, folk, big band and the blues. Because tomorrow is Canada Day, SaskPork is holding a pancake brunch at the site with seatings at 11 and 1 for $5 a plate. Throughout the ten days, there is also festival entertainment at The Bassment, Persephone Theatre, and at other venues around the city.