The Prairie Village Jazz Fest brings the harmonic sound of jazz to local Prairie Village residents. Performances can range from professional ensembles like Back Alley Brass Band to student led groups such as the Shawnee Mission East Blue Knights.
The jazz Fest is filled with seven hours of smooth, including 5 different bands.
The Mission of the Jazz Fest is to celebrate the tradition of Jazz with the residents of Prairie Village. The Jazz Festival aims to stimulate awareness and promote appreciation of the spirit and culture of America’s original art form according to the City of Prairie Village.
The festival has become a yearly tradition for people like Prairie Village residents Margaret and Bruce Boomer, who attended their 11th annual Jazz Fest this year. While the festival is filled with music, Bruce also enjoys the atmosphere and the ethnic food — like the Taste of Brazil food truck.
“I love coming here obviously because of the music, but also because we used to come here with our kids, and it just became a habit,” Margaret said.
Members of the Blue Knights Jazz Band and juniors Kayden Rodgers and Ruby Wagner love performing at the Fest, but were surprised with the rain.
“It was odd watching the audience leave, but once everyone got settled, it was fine,” Wagner said.
Though the rain was not ideal, no one seemed to care. People were dancing, kids were splashing and jazz was ringing according to Rodgers and Margaret, they agreed that the rain only added to the experience.