Rain Forecast Cancels Second Day Of Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Because of the impending arrival of a tropical storm, events throughout the area have been postponed or canceled, and the Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival has decided to limit this year's festival to one night.

According to event organizers, due to Saturday’s tropical storm, that day’s events have been canceled completely.

For the first time, the festival, which draws thousands of fans and several accomplished musicians and has become a regular community event in Morris County, was meant to be held over two days this year.

Instead, the music will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday at Pioneer Park, which is conveniently located on Speedwell Avenue between Headquarters Plaza and 1776.

According to the National Weather Service, the Morristown area should expect rain mainly after 8 a.m. on Saturday. There will be northeastern winds around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm will have downgraded to a tropical depression by the time it reaches New Jersey, bringing heavy rainfall and potentially damaging winds.

The Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival will memorialize two of its founders, Linda Smith and Michael Fabrizio, who both died in June 2021, as it has done for the past two years.

The Spectrum Jazz Band, formed of Morristown High School students, will open the Friday event, followed at 5:00 by jazz singer and entertainer Ty Stephens. He has toured the world with his jazz, funk, and R&B band, Soul Jaazz.

Ty Stephens will be followed by Debra Devi, a guitar sensation who has been compared to Susan Tedeschi. She brings her all-star band, which has been tearing up the festival circuit.

The final group on Friday night is a mainstay in the Chicago blues clubs, The Downtown Charlie Brown Blues Band, whose leader hails from Morristown. In fact, singer and keyboardist Charles Brown is celebrating his 50th reunion from Morristown High School, where he sang and played trumpet in a band.