Jazz Festival Returns to Waterfront Park

The City of Alexandria is hosting its host 36th annual Memorial Day Jazz Festival May 27, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Waterfront Park at the foot of Prince Street.

If it rains, the festival will be relocated to the Lee Center’s Kauffman Auditorium, 1108 Jefferson St. Admission is free.

The performance schedule is as follows:

1 p.m. – The Commodores
The Commodores is a specialty unit of the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC, and features 18 of the Navy’s top jazz and big band musicians.

2 p.m. – Al Williams
Williams is a four-time WAMMIE Award winner, including Best Jazz Instrumentalist. Al has appeared at many jazz festivals around the world.

3 p.m. – Daniel Ori
Ori is a prominent young voice in the New York contemporary jazz scene, and has performed worldwide in venues and festivals. His music has been described as fresh, communicative, lyrical and rhythmic modern jazz with Middle Eastern, Latin and African influences.

4 p.m. – Emy Tseng
Tseng sings with some of DC’s best jazz and Brazilian musicians, performs throughout the DC area and is noted for her Brazilian sound and feel.

5 p.m. – Bob Gibson Big Band
The Bob Gibson Big Band, composed of various area musicians, including members of Armed Forces Service ensembles, performs a variety of swing and big band pieces in the '40s style that may just make the audience get up and dance.

Waterfront Park features grass seating, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Food, such as barbecue, fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, snow cones and funnel cake are available for purchase, but everyone is welcome to pack a picnic lunch or dinner. Grilling and alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Please leave pets at home.

Visitors are encouraged to take the Metro Yellow or Blue lines to the King Street Station in Old Town and take the King Street Trolley, DASH or Metro buses, or park in one of the convenient parking garages or lots. For more information on parking, visit the “Where to Park in Old Town Alexandria”. For DASH schedule information, call 703-370-DASH or visit www.dashbus.com. For Metrobus schedule information, call 202-637-7000 or visit www.wmata.com.