Beer gardens, bike valets and, best of all, free music. What could be better?

The free stages serve up some of the best music and the best times at the jazz festival every summer. The sunny outdoor shows fill in the gaps between the bigger ticket performances. But the best part is that a lot of the musicians who play the bigger venues at night spend the afternoon at the free stage doing their thing.

This year the festival has cooked up more free stage festivities than ever. In fact, there’s so much to do it might will be tough to decide where to get your free jazz fix. Have a look at the guide below to decide where you want to be. Each free stage is plotted out on the map at the top of the post and corresponds to markers next to each venue below.

Free stage locations

PotashCorp Club Jazz

Location: Friendship Park, downtown between the Broadway and Victoria bridges

Club Jazz is the festival’s flagship free stage. This is the second year the stage has been in the (much better) location in Friendship Park after moving out of Kiwanis Park. The stage will sit with its back to the Broadway Bridge, nestled into the park next to the beer gardens, food vendors and bike valet. If you plan on spending some serious time there, be sure to bring some chairs or a blanket to sprawl out on. This year the festival has set up a box office at the free stage — once you’re hooked on jazz you can buy tickets to any of the bigger shows that catch your fancy.

There will be shows at Club Jazz every day during the festival, usually running through the entire afternoon and evening. I’ve picked out some of my favourite free show sets of the summer that I think you should look out for. I can’t list every great free show set, but here are some of the highlights that I have personally enjoyed checking out.

Shows to look out for

On Saturday, June 22, two of my favourite Saskatoon jazzers will be putting on performances. At 5:00 Brett Balon’s Brecker Brothers Tribute will take the stage, followed by our own Aaron Adair & SK Soul at 7:00. They’ll be followed by Cuban sensation Wil Campa, who put on a super spicy show at the Bessborough Garden’s during last year’s festival. All three of these shows are bound to be brilliant, so don’t miss ’em.

On Sunday, June 23, the U of S Jazz Ensemble opens the stage at 3:00. These are some of our town’s best and brightest young musicians, lead by Dean McNeill. Go out to support our up-and-comers!

On Wednesday, June 25, Misterfire, another young group of local musicians, will funk up the free stage at 5:00.

The last night of free stage action is Monday, July 1, and it’s looking like a funking great time. Local musicians Absofunkinlutely play at 7:00, warming up the stage for my all-time favourite Canadian funk band, Five Alarm Funk, who will close out the festival’s free stage lineup at 9:00. Five Alarm Funk put on a hell of a free stage show last summer in addition to their two ticked performances. You cannot miss this one.

Full Schedule

Experience Downtown Free Stage

Location: Barney Kutz Pocket Park on 21st street

The Experience Downtown free stage is new to the festival this year. It’s tucked away in kind of a neat location on 21st street, next to American Apparel.

Shows to look out for

The Doug Boomhower Quartet, who you might have heard at Prairie Ink, will be playing a jazzy set at 11:45 on Monday, June 24.

Misterfire will be playing this stage as well on Tuesday, June 25 at 11:45 (if they’re awake at this ungodly early hour). The Brett Balon Quartet will take the stage at 5:00 on Wednesday, June 26, following the Lost Keys.

Closing out the shows at the Experience Downtown stage, Percussion Syndicate will be laying down some rhythm and beats also at 11:45 on Friday, June 28.

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Spadina Freehouse Free Stage

Location: Spadina Freehouse, across from the Bessborough

The Spadina free house lives up to its name again this year, returning once again as a free stage location during the festival. It’s always a nice place to have a drink and a bit of a nosh while taking in some good live music.

Shows to look out for

Aaron Adair and Absofunkinlutely will be playing at the Freehouse in addition to their own shows at the Club Jass free stage, so if you miss them at one location try to hit up the other. And on Monday, June 24 at 10:30 you can catch Saskatoon’s own Young Benjamins.

Jazzing things up on Saturday, June 29, the Pile of Bones Brass Band will horn their way into the Freehouse for a brassy set. This one will be loud, and it will be good.

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2nd Ave Grill Free Stage

Location: 2nd Avenue Grill

Shows to look out for

I haven’t heard anyone in this lineup, but I can imagine that Brett & Gillian, a instrumental and vocal duo (see the video above), will be playing some great music.

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The James Hotel

Location: The James Hotel on Spadina and 22nd

Another new free stage venue at the festival this year, the James Hotel will class up the joint with a few great shows.

Shows to look out for

Saskatoon jazz community staple Don Griffith and his trio are can also be trusted to put on a lively, jazzy set. You can catch them on Saturday, June 29.

Once again, captain of the festival free stage Aaron Adair can be found at the James hotel on Sunday, June 30.

Full Schedule