36th Jazz in June Festival Scheduled for June 20-22

The 36^th annual Jazz in June outdoor music festival will be held June 20 – 22, in Norman, Oklahoma. Over that three-night period, approximately 50,000 people will enjoy an eclectic mix of performances. Admission is free, and the list of participating musicians is long. The entire event is designed to be a chance to enjoy both national and local musical talent and to experience a diverse and extensive range of both jazz and blues music. This year, the Blues Under the Stars portion of the festival will feature Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal; Jazz Under the Stars will feature Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and the featured artist for Jazz in the Park will be the Funky Knuckles. Attendees are invited to bring blankets or lawn chairs to help them relax and enjoy the performances. Food vendors will offer refreshments and In addition to the main stage acts, several artists will teach music clinics during Friday’s festivities. Participants are encouraged to bring their instruments of choice Thursday and Saturday so they can participate in late-night jam sessions taking place at various locales around Norman. The first Jazz in June started in 1984 as a fundraising event for the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company (CCOC). It ended up drawing a crowd of about 300, which was enough to interest the Norman Arts and Humanities Council to join with CCOC to support future annual events. In 1990 Jazz in June, Inc. formally became a separate non-profit with Norman Arts Council, CCOC and KGOU as partners with members at large. This year’s Thursday and Friday performances will be held at Brookhaven Village, 3700 W. Robinson in Norman, from 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday’s performance will take place at Andrews Park, 201 W. Daws St. in Norman, from 6:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.