The Jazz Society’s Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is a FREE concert open to the public and held over three days in mid-July at Cathedral Park at the base of the St. Johns bridge in the Cathedral Park neighborhood of Portland. Now in its 37th year, the festival is the longest running jazz and blues festival west of the Mississippi River. The Festival is a major musical event in the heart of summer for the Portland Metro area, and features the region’s best local jazz and blues musicians. It also fosters cooperation and pride in the north Portland neighborhoods of Cathedral Park and St. Johns, and recognizes and promotes the community’s local businesses.

The Festival begins Friday night with dynamic Blues, R&B, and Soul. Saturday and Sunday will feature multiple styles of Jazz in all their glory (see Performance Schedule). The stage is situated in a natural amphitheater with a backdrop of the beautiful Willamette River to the west and the mighty St Johns Bridge overhead. The lush, green, and beautifully-maintained festival grounds are the perfect place to bring a picnic or to purchase delicious offerings available from our food vendors. You are welcome to spread a blanket or set up low-profile beach chairs in the grassy bowl in front of the stage.

Celebrating Cathedral Park and the surrounding community is a major focus of this Festival. Neighborhood groups will have information booths promoting local businesses and philanthropic organizations.

The Jazz Society recognizes the growing hunger problem in our area, so a Food Drive to benefit area food banks is an integral part of the Festival. Barrels to collect donated non-perishable food items will be placed throughout the grounds. Information about the Food Drive may be found under the Festival Details menu link.

City regulations prohibit attendees from drinking alcohol in the park open area. However, alcohol may be enjoyed by adults 21-and-over in our shady Beer Garden with a full view of the stage. Our Sponsor Appreciation Tent is situated on the crest of the amphitheater bowl, giving sponsors a perfect view of the stage. We have both cash and in-kind sponsorship opportunities available. Click on the Sponsorship Opportunities menu link for more information.

The Jazz Society of Oregon Board of Directors sincerely thank the Cathedral Park neighborhood and St. Johns community, and past sponsors, vendors, and volunteers who have made the Festival a growing success. We look forward to working with you again this year to produce the best Jazz festival ever