Fort Worth hosts legendary weekend of jazz, funk, etc.

by Sarah Crisman

FORT WORTH — The 7th Annual Jazz By The Boulevard Music and Arts Festival kicks off this weekend. It's produced by Historic Camp Bowie Initiatives, a non-profit sister to Camp Bowie District, Inc. that manages a public improvement district. In addition to hosting enhancement efforts for Fort Worth (like tree planting and landscaping); they host special events like Jazz By the Boulevard. These development advocates know the power of good music and will be showing off their beautiful hard work when the masses descend upon Camp Bowie to dance their faces-off (and maybe buy some art on the way).

With two stages of continuous jazz music serving up national headliners Chris Botti, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, this year's impressive lineup is sure to please even the most discriminating jazz fan -- we could hardly believe the lineup ourselves! Look for local favorites The Josh Weathers Band, Mario Cruz (of Earth, Wind, and Fire), and Adonis Rose.

Stop by the Cooking Carnivalè pavilion for wine seminars, specialty food vendors, and cooking demonstrations and samplings by top area chefs. Since this is a music "and arts festival" you'll find professional art and fine craft showcase of specially selected artisans exhibiting and selling their works throughout the festival. There will also be a free Musical Instrument Petting Zoo (brilliant) and plenty of arts and crafts to keep the family entertained.

What's a shindig like this going to run a fun-loving, hip family like yourself? You'll love this part: $5 per person, per day for general festival admission and lawn seating -- free for children 12 and under. Score reserved table seating for $35 in advance/$40 the day of the festival (children 12 and under are $20). The VIP Pavilion includes premier seating and complimentary refreshments and will run $175 for two one–day passes and $90 for individual one–day pass. Now, if you're really excited about this, you can become a Friend of the Festival for $2,000 (includes eight VIP passes for each night, as well as eight tee–shirts). Sounds like a weekend win to us!