Free Shows at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Coastal Jazz has announced programming for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival with 160 events including several free shows across the city, the Club Series, the new Bentall Centre Happy Hour Series and more June 21 to July 1, 2025.
About the Festival | Free Shows
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
- When: June 21 to July 1, 2025
- Where: Various locations across Vancouver
- Vancouver Art Gallery and šxwƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (750 Hornby St, Vancouver)
- Dunsmuir Patio at Bentall Centre (1025 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver)
- Ocean Artworks (1531 Johnston St, Granville Island, Vancouver)
- Performance Works (1218 Cartwright, Granville Island, Vancouver)
- Red Gate Revue Stage (1601 Johnston St, Granville Island, Vancouver)
- Admission: Free and ticketed events.
- Information on ticketed events can be found online.
The 40th Anniversary edition of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival will offer 160 events (free and ticketed), including the return of Downtown Jazz and a new Bentall Centre Happy Hour Series. Additionally, downtown patios, clubs, and gallery venues will feature various live jazz performances throughout the 12 days of the Festival. All events are rain or shine.
View the full festival calendar online; here are some Vancouver jazz festival free show highlights:
Free Jazz Festival Shows in Vancouver
Downtown Vancouver
📍 Vancouver Art Gallery and šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square
Downtown Jazz kicks off the Festival’s opening weekend with free live shows on June 21 & 22, 2025 (beginning at 1:00pm with last performances at 8:30pm), with a full day of high-energy shows by local and international artists. The Georgia Street stage includes performances by Amphibioux, Feven Kidane Sextet, Hanging Hearts, Empanadas Ilegales and Kneebody on Saturday, June 21. Performances on Sunday, June 22 include Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra, Super K, Garret T. Willie, Dawn Pemberton and Makaya McCraven. The Sounds of Youth stage on the west side of the plaza includes performances by some of Metro Vancouver’s best high school jazz combos and big bands, presented by Tom Lee Music and Anthem Properties.
Bentall Centre Happy Hour Series
📍 Dunsmuir Patio at Bentall Centre
New this year, the Bentall Centre Happy Hour Series at Dunsmuir Patio features free shows daily from 4:00pm to 6:00pm June 23 to 27, 2025. Enjoy free performances by Jonny Tobin (June 23), Parlour Panther (June 24), Colin Sankey Band (June 25), Kristin Fung (June 26), and Malcolm Aiken Quintet (June 27).
Club Series
The Club Series includes free and ticketed programming at various venues including Frankie’s Jazz Club, Guilt & Co., 2nd Floor Gastown, Coquette Brasserie, Hero’s Welcome, Zameen Art House, La Fabrique St-George, and Tyrant Studios. Each club presents a roster of musicians and ensembles scheduled throughout the week of June 21 to July 1, 2025. For show information – including cover charges and ticking information – visit the respective venues website.
Granville Island
📍 Ocean Artworks Granville Island, Red Gate Revue Stage, and Performance Works
Granville Island is the hub for Jazz Festival activity with the July 1 Free Concert Series, featuring afternoon and evening shows scheduled at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks and the Revue Stage, culminating in a slate of free shows at Ocean Artworks. Catch performances by Evan Arntzen with Lloyd Arntzen (12:00 pm), Feven Kidane Plays Dido & The Handpeople (2:45 pm), The ReViberators (5:30 pm), Cowboy Bebop Bebop Band (8:15 pm).
Tickets and more information for the North Shore Jazz Series available online.
About Coastal Jazz
Founded in 1985 and incorporated in 1986 as the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, Coastal Jazz is a community-based, not-for-profit, charitable arts organization that has worked diligently over 40 years to establish Vancouver as a centre for creating and exchanging sounds and ideas between local, national, and international music communities. Coastal Jazz’s mission is to increase the appreciation of jazz music in all its creative forms and strengthen the arts community by developing special projects, artistic exchanges, partnerships, collaborations, and music education initiatives. Coastal Jazz produces the annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival, celebrating its 40th edition in 2025.
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