Jazz on the Plaza Returns to BPAC August 7 to 9 With 10 Free Concerts

The outdoor plaza at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre turns into a concert venue from Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. Jazz on the Plaza brings 10 acts across the three days, and every set is free.

Nothing needs to be booked. Bring a lawn chair, find a spot at 440 Locust St., and stay for one set or the whole afternoon. Friday is a short evening with two acts, Saturday runs from early afternoon into the night, and Sunday finishes by late afternoon.

The bill leans on Canadian jazz names. JUNO winner Laila Biali closes Saturday at 7pm, following Toronto brass band Big Smoke Brass at 5:45 and JUNO winner Sammy Jackson at 3:15. Irene Torres opens the weekend Friday at 6pm with a mix of jazz, soul and Afro-Peruvian rhythms, and Kellylee Evans and Heather Bambrick take Sunday afternoon.

BPAC has run the series for years, and this edition is larger than usual because the centre is marking its 15th anniversary with an expanded festival.

Set times

• Friday, August 7: Irene Torres 6pm, Empanadas Ilegales 7:15pm
• Saturday, August 8: Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz 2pm, Sammy Jackson 3:15pm, Ori Dagan's The Grand Voices of Jazz 4:30pm, Big Smoke Brass 5:45pm, Laila Biali 7pm
• Sunday, August 9: Dizzy & Fay 2pm, Kellylee Evans 3:15pm, Heather Bambrick 4:30pm

Seating on the plaza is limited, so a folding chair or a blanket is worth packing if you plan to stay for more than one set.