Winter Blues Jazz Festival

The Williamsburg Winter Blues Jazz Fest takes place January 15th - 18th, 2015. It is the creation of Williamsburg, VA business owners Steve Rose, Jennifer Raines, and Chef David Everett. Steve’s vast experience in event production and Jennifer’s love and knowledge of music have combined to create two successful jazz events over the past year. These events were called Art & Soul and featured acclaimed musicians from New York, NY and Charleston, SC. The emphasis of these events and of The Winter Blues Jazz Fest is on the quality of the music and celebrating with those who truly appreciate the music and its heritage. We are so fortunate to have Chef David Everett as our culinary partner and consultant. He has an amazing team and we are confident their wealth of knowledge in producing quality events, along with their goal of giving back to the community, is going to help make this one amazing weekend.

Event Overview

The event will be a four-day jazz festival centered in the downtown Williamsburg area on January 15-18, 2015 over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. There will be a main tented area in the Merchant’s Square area and other venues will include the Muscarelle Museum of Art, the Williamsburg Lodge, the Kimball Theatre, and many local restaurant establishments. Savannah Artist David Gildersleeve, who exhibited his work in Williamsburg in 2014, has hand-drawn the logo and designed the posters. The aim for the event is to involve as many different local entities as possible; including Chesapeake Bank as the signature sponsor and the Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance as a marketing partner, local businesses, local musicians, and the hospitality industry at large.

Event Goals

• To provide enriching and entertaining jazz programs with options available to suit all tastes and budgets;
• To illuminate the legacy of jazz greats, like Virginia native Ella Fitzgerald;
• To provide jazz education programs;
• To further enhance Williamsburg, VA as a vibrant cultural destination with year-round programming; and
• To boost economic development and tourism.