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Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Workshops & Special Events

Explore public talks, interactive learning, storytelling, and special festival experiences happening during festival weekend.

Workshops take place at 1350 Main Street Suite 114 unless otherwise noted.

Interactive Workshop

Zaccai Curtis — Cubop Lives!

Hands-On Music Workshop

2:00–3:00 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

An interactive session exploring Afro-Caribbean rhythm, jazz, and the roots of Cubop.

Hands-On Music Workshop

2:00–3:00 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

Grammy Award-winning pianist Zaccai Curtis leads a lively workshop on the musical language of Afro-Caribbean jazz. Through demonstration, conversation, and audience participation, participants will explore rhythm, improvisation, and the deep cultural connections between Afro-Cuban traditions and jazz.

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Public Talk

Etienne Charles: Gullah Roots

Artist Conversation

3:15–4:30 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

A public conversation on Gullah history, cultural memory, and the stories inside the music.

Artist Conversation

3:15–4:30 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

Etienne Charles joins a Gullah historian and local moderator for a conversation on the history, traditions, and cultural legacy behind Gullah Roots. Through storytelling, listening, and audience Q&A, this public talk offers a deeper look at how memory, migration, and African-descended traditions live inside the music.

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Stories & Songs

All the Rivers

Storytelling Performance

5:00–6:15 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

Immigrant artists share music, personal stories, and the traditions that shape their sound.

Storytelling Performance

5:00–6:15 PM · 1350 Main Street Suite 114

All the Rivers brings together live performance and personal storytelling in a program shaped by migration, memory, and belonging. Featuring members of the ensemble sharing songs and lived experience, this session invites audiences into the cultural roots, languages, and journeys behind the music.

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Community Art Experience

Art Activity Tent & Mural Paint Party

Interactive Community Art Tent

2:00–5:00 PM · Saturday, July 11 · Festival Grounds

Create, connect, and celebrate our stories through a collaborative public mural project.

Interactive Community Art Tent

2:00–5:00 PM · Saturday, July 11 · Festival Grounds

A highlight of this year’s festival is the hands-on visual arts programming inside the Art Activity Tent, anchored by a collaborative public Mural Paint Party. This interactive installation is a joint project of The Performance Project and Common Wealth Murals, inspired by the lived experiences and stories of immigrant, refugee, and diasporic communities.

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New Location!

The Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival takes place on July 10 - 11th, 2026 at Court Square.

About Us

This festival is produced by Blues To Green, a nonprofit organization that harnesses music and the arts to celebrate community and culture, build shared purpose, and catalyze social and environmental change.
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