The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is set to kick off its 50th Anniversary Party in Bloor–Yorkville! We’re more than excited to share that the legendary Downchild Blues Band will be getting the party started with a free performance at the TD Mainstage on Bloor Street between Avenue Road and St Thomas Street. Featuring The Blues Brothers co-founder Dan Aykroyd, Late Night with David Letterman bandleader Paul Shaffer, blues-rock great David Wilcox, Louisiana bluesman Kenny Neal, and Downchid alumni Gene Taylor, the Downchild Blues Band performance will be nothing short of spectacular! The iconic band is set to take the stage at 8:30 pm on June 22nd, officially kicking off the opening party with a brand-new show.
Opening weekend includes a number of other exciting performances and programming with the festival kicking off Saturday, June 21 on Cumberland Street, which will be closed the entire duration of the festival as an homage to the feel of New Orleans. Additionally, The Royal Ontario Museum will be hosting a Mardi Gras Carnival themed edition of Friday Night Live (for guests of all ages) which will feature Cirque de Soleil entertainment.
Sunday, June 23 features the Toronto Mass Choir hosting the festivals first ever Gospel Sunday, while later in the day the iconic 12-time Grammy award-winner Pastor Shirley Cesar will be headlining the TD Mainstage on Bloor St. To finish off the opening weekend, Shad (host of the Netflix series Hip Hop Evolution) will be emceeing and curating an evening showcasing emerging stars in jazz and hip-hop. Shad will be closing out the night with a performance of his own!
Of the 2019 season, Howard Kerbel, CEO TD Toronto Jazz Festival says, “Our approach to this year’s event was to turn Yorkville into the musical heartbeat of the city.”
As a proud Community Partner of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, we are incredibly proud to be supporting this dynamic summer event. See below for a map of the event stages within the Bloor-Yorkville area and browse images from previous seasons.
