Montclair’s Jazz Festival, Saturday, Sept. 13
There are summer music festivals that cost hundreds to attend. Only Montclair can claim bragging rights to the region’s largest free jazz festival and one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country.
This Saturday, the 2025 Montclair Jazz Festival, produced by Jazz House Kids, is happening in a big way, featuring some 200 musicians on two stages and 180 vendors, all happening in downtown Montclair, at the festival’s new location – the eight-acre Lackawanna Station property.
Taking the stage – an all-star lineup featuring powerhouse vocalist José James, acclaimed saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix, Christian McBride’s Ursa Major, the nine-time Grammy winner’s bold multi-generational quintet and Luisito Quintero, a Grammy-winning master percussionist from Venezuela.
And of course, there’s the next generation of jazz. On the Emerging Musicians Stage, where more than 50 young artists from the Jazz House Kids program will perform, including the debut of this year’s alumni Jazz House All-Stars, a group of accomplished musicians who will set sail in January 2026 on McBride’s World at Sea.
Triumph over Challenge
When it came to planning this year’s jazz festival, the organization’s 16th, Melissa Walker, founder and president of Jazz House Kids, said there were challenges. Fortunately this year, the weather isn’t one of them (fingers crossed!)
“Good weather, I start with that,” said Walker, as she checked her weather app on our call (The forecast for Saturday is a high of 76 degrees with a mix of sun and clouds). She recalled past years where festival goers faced heatwaves, electrical storms, a state of emergency, even multi-hour long weather delays.
“This event is so much a part of the fabric of this community. Last year, we had 26,000 people come to the festival. This is their festival and they have grit,” said Walker,
But the challenge Walker faced this year was financial.
“How do we keep the festival no tickets required?” Walker recalls thinking, after learning earlier this year that the National Endowment for the Arts was pulling support that was already committed. Despite the success and far reaching impact of the nationally recognized arts organization, Jazz House Kids also faced corporate support that was cut or significantly reduced.
“We work really hard making sure kids from all kinds of backgrounds manifest their greatness in a safe, nurturing environment,” said Walker. The festival has always been an extension of that – providing free access to world class cultural programming to the widest expression of the community.
Walker had to think long and hard about protecting that core mission while still bringing a free event to a diverse, multi-generational community that celebrates a music beloved around the world.
A New Location
After some serious conversations, Walker and her team pivoted to make sure they could keep everything they wanted in the festival while reducing some costs. She also turned to a longtime support partner in BDP Holdings, owner of the Lackawanna Station property. By not closing down Bloomfield Avenue – a major undertaking and cost – and moving the festival to the eight-acre site instead, Walker said the organization was able to keep all the elements of the festival and add some new excitement as well.
“The second line speaks to the motto of the festival ‘Hear live music. See live music. Be live music.’ We are actively inviting fans and the public to be part of this great day,” said Walker. The New Orleans-inspired second line promenade starts at Church Street at 11 a.m. for the walk down to the festival site at Lackawanna Station.
There’s also the Improbable Art Expo happening inside Lackawanna Station, so festival goers can check out art as they make their way to the different stages, the Family Jazz Discovery Zone and Rao’s Vendor Village. All the action will be captured on Jumbotron screens and livestreamed, too.
Joyful Noise
Walker said Saturday will be a day for joyful noise, incredible music and dancing in the streets. This year, that will be Grove Street, which will be closed to cars during the festival.
“It’s a difficult time right now,” said Walker, adding that now more than ever, events like the jazz festival are so important to communities, bringing a sense of hopefulness and harmony.
The organization is still working at fully funding this year’s Montclair Jazz Festival. Walker hopes festival goers will be moved to give. The suggested donation is $20 for a daylong celebration of music, art and community.
“We need everyone to come and say ‘I will give that $20. This is our festival, this is our community, we believe in it,’” she added.
