Submitted by Kate Baldus

The 27th annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is coming soon!  This year festivities begin July 20th at 6 pm with The Strange Tones and Charlie Musselwhite at 8 pm.  Enjoy more music Saturday, July 21st, from Pete Krebs, Keith Hinyard, PDXV - jazz quintet of Portland, Steve Cannon and the Blowhard Big Band featuring Mic Gillette beginning at noon and lasting until 8ish. Sunday the 22nd wraps up the festival with Devin Phillips, Sneakin' Out, Al Andalus, and Plas Johnson & John Heard featuring Nancy King also beginning at noon and ending around 8 pm.

The festival began in 1981 as a friends and neighborhood party to honor the St. John's resident Howard Galbraith and has grown into the largest and oldest jazz festival west of the Mississippi, and the best part... it's FREE! Up to 5,000 people attend the festivities daily and more than 90,000 listen to the music as long time radio sponsor Kmhd 89.1fm simulcasts the event over the airwaves.

Held under the St. John's Bridge in beautiful Cathedral Park on the east bank of the Willamette River - the weekend is a perfect escape within the city.  There will be food vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden to enjoy.  Just a short walk/drive is downtown St. Johns neighborhood with restaurants and cafes like Anna Bannanas, Proper Eats and McMenamins.  Also check out the St. Johns Booksellers, Weir's Cyclery (Bicycle Shop) and Greg's retail shop.