The 2011 Flint Jazz Festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary at Riverbank Park this weekend.
The event will begin with a Jazz Walk from 6 -11 p.m. Thursday.
Greg Fiedler is with the Greater Flint Arts Council.
"We created something entirely new called Jazz Walk, and the Jazz Walk is fashioned sort of as our famous Flint Art Walk that we do every month. Only the difference is that Jazz Walk is going to be in the pubs downtown and we’re in six of the local pubs."
Fiedler also says every year the festival celebrates the jazz drummer and founder of the festival, Joe Freyre. This year his nephew -- who has the same name -- will headline with Freyre’s former band, The People's Jazz Band.
The festival is charging admission for the first time. Fielder explains with corporate sponsorships decreasing, it is important for the community to begin investing in its major annual events.
Admission is $2 per day or $5 for a three-day pass.
The festival runs through Sunday.
Traci Currie, Michigan Radio Newsroom
