Charles River Jazz Fest Returns to Herter Park

In its second year, the Charles River Jazz Fest returns to the Herter Park Amphitheater this July 10 for a full-day music festival with five incredibly talented Acts. The festival aims to build community through music and art while celebrating local musicians and Boston’s diverse cultures.

This year’s lineup showcases powerhouse vocalist, Debo Ray, a Malden native, and Grammy-nominated singer; New Legaxy, a Boston-based band led by New Orleans drummer Brian Richburg Jr; Seba Molnar, a Boston-based saxophonist, composer, and educator; Zahili Gonzalez Zamora, an award-winning pianist, composer, bandleader, arranger, and educator born in Manzanillo, Cuba, and Caio Afiune, composer, guitarist from São Paulo, Brazil.

The festival kicks off at 1:30 p.m. with Caio Afiune and comes to a close with headliner Debo Ray at 7:30 p.m. Attendance is free and open to the public.

Founded in 2021 with the support of nonprofit group Friends of Herter Park, the Charles River Jazz Fest launched with upwards of 500 attendees. We want to celebrate the diverse cultures and music that the Boston community has to offer. From Louis Armstrong to Christian Scott, the Black American experience is the foundation of Jazz music and our goal is to continue to support local musicians and artists who embody the heart and soul of jazz, as well as provide an outlet for the community to engage with and support local artists.

This year, Charles River Jazz Fest was a recipient of the Opportunity Fund by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture Boston. The Opportunity Fund grants provide support for career development and community arts experiences throughout the city. Funding also was awarded by Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Festivals Program. The Festivals Program provides $1,500 grants that help programmers bring their vision to life and develop sustainable audiences.

While the inaugural Charles River Jazz Festival was a triumph, we are confident that with additional funding awareness, we can continue to grow the Charles River Jazz Festival into an unforgettable, annual experience for community members and artists alike. This year we expect a much larger turnout and hope to provide an elevated experience with a full day of FREE music featuring some of Boston’s brightest stars as well as up-and-coming artists. As well as local vendors.

Donations and vendors are still being accepted. More information can be found at charlesriverjazzfest.org.