Glacier Jazz Stampede hits Kalispell in October
Jazz bands from across North America will take over downtown Kalispell in early October.
The 19th annual Glacier Jazz Stampede will be held Oct. 4 through 7. There will be music at two venues in the Red Lion Hotel and at three venues inside the Kalispell Eagles.
The festival specifically promotes traditional jazz and Dixieland, America’s original art form, but it also presents numerous other styles of jazz. Dixieland bands will perform at the event’s opening event, a party in the Red Lion Hotel ballroom Oct. 4, but groups in other genres will perform throughout the weekend.
Several bands will also perform at church services the morning of Oct. 7.
Blue Street will play gospel jazz during an interdenominational gospel service at 11 a.m. in the Red Lion Hotel ballroom. The festival gospel choir also will perform.
Uptown Lowdown will perform at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 540 S. Main St. Hume Street will play at 10:30 a.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 603 S. Main St. Titanic Hot 7 will perform at Epworth Methodist, 329 Second Ave. E.
The Flathead Community Band will perform a tribute to marching bands at 10 a.m. Oct. 6 in the Red Lion Hotel ballroom.
Those who want to learn to move with the music will have a chance to take free dance lessons with local instructors. The first lesson is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 5 in the Red Lion Hotel ballroom; the second is downstairs in the Eagles Club from 10 to 11 a.m. Oct. 6.
Musicians not content to simply listen to the music will have opportunities to jam throughout the festival. Dick Williams will head up the JazzSea Jammers; he invites musicians to simply show up with an instrument and he will give instructions. Jam sessions are scheduled throughout the weekend.
For the most part, the festival follows a general format of one-hour sets at each venue (with four or five venues going simultaneously), with a 15-minute break between sets.
The schedule is subject to change up to the date of the event. Stay up-to-date on the festival schedule by visiting the Glacier Jazz Stampede’s website, www.glacierjazzstampede.com. Concerts will also be listed in This Week in the Flathead’s entertainment calendar, available in the print edition and online at www.dailyinterlake.com/flathead.
An all-event badge costs $75 if purchased by Sept. 30. Starting Oct. 1, the cost goes up to $80.
Day badges are available for the following prices:
• $15 for the evening of Oct. 4
• $30 for Oct. 5, all day
• $35 for Oct. 6, all day
• $35 for Oct. 7, all day
• $10 for the evening of Oct. 7
All-event tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 892-2115. Individual day tickets are available at festival headquarters, the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell.
For additional information, visit the Glacier Jazz Stampede website or call 862-3814.