Searching for a Canadian music festival to check out this summer? Or maybe you’re just looking for an excuse to visit the beautiful Canadian city of Vancouver? Either way, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival is the answer!
Vancouver Jazz Festival 2019
The TD International Jazz Festival takes over Vancouver for 12 days at the end of June and is considered one of the city’s largest and most recognized summer celebrations. With past headliners like Erykah Badu, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Buddy Guy, Robert Plant and Macy Gray, the Vancouver Jazz Festival has certainly made a name for itself. Each summer, the Jazz Fest features a wide spectrum of jazz, blues, Latin, world, fusion and evolving forms of jazz to the west coast city, attracting over 500,000 people according to Tourism Vancouver.
When Is the Vancouver Jazz Festival?
2019 marks 34 years of the festival, which is produced by the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, a non-profit, community-based, charitable arts organization based in Vancouver. Kick off the first day of summer and celebrate until Canada Day at the Vancouver Jazz Festival. This year’s fest is set to take place from June 21 – July 1st, featuring major headliners The Roots and Wu-Tang Clan, both of whom have performances scheduled at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. As usual, the festival will take place at venues across the city: from outdoor shows to intimate bars, and everywhere in between.
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When is the best time to book my flight to Vancouver?
- According to our data from 2018, booking your trip to Vancouver between the start of April and mid-May will give you the best ticket price on average.
- Don’t leave it to the last minute! Booking flights to Vancouver the month before the festival increases the average ticket price by 39%.
- The majority of people booking their flights to Vancouver did leave it to last minute last year – with the majority booking flights within the last two weeks.
Vancouver Free Outdoor Concerts
Luckily for budget travellers, Vancouver Jazz Festival offers over 150 free concerts each year, meaning you can enjoy the atmosphere of this amazing festival without even purchasing tickets to a show. Check out outdoor venues like the Vancouver Art Gallery and David Lam Park for free concerts. If you’re looking for some long weekend getaway ideas, Granville Island always has a performance on Canada Day! In addition, the Vancouver Jazz Festival offers free music workshops and lectures open to the public.
Things to Do in Vancouver in Summer
The Vancouver Jazz Festival is a magical time to visit Vancouver not only because of the music but also because of the time of year. Like most cities in Canada during this season, Vancouver comes alive in the summer, when beaches and parks are at their best, and tourist attractions are in full swing. From Grouse Mountain to Gastown, we’ve got the best of Van City right here for you.
- Walk the Vancouver Seawall: Did you know that Vancouver has the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path? The Vancouver Seawall is 28km of walkable bliss that extends from Stanley Park to the Vancouver Convention Centre and Spanish Banks Park in English Bay.
- Hike Grouse Mountain: Van City’s beloved mountain peak becomes a playground in the summer. Grouse Mountain features a movie theatre, mountain biking, Grouse Grind hike and grizzly bear habitat.
- Explore the neighbourhood of Gastown: Take a stroll through Vancouver’s historic Gastown district for a taste of Vancouver’s trendy food and drink scene. To find the best craft beer in the city, we’ve got a guide for you.
Vancouver Hotels on a Budget:
- Samesun Vancouver on Granville Street from $60/night
- YWCA Hotel from $183/night
- Gage Apartments at UBC from $195/night
- Douglas Guest House from $215/night
For more suggestions of what to do in Vancouver, see our Vancouver Travel Guide.
Start your search here on Skyscanner and get access to a ton of flight and hotel deals for your summer adventures in Vancouver.
More Vancouver Travel Guides
Ready to head to Vancouver yet? Between the incredible Jazz Festival and the city’s variety of summer activities, Vancouver is the perfect summer destination!
