Olde Towne East Jazz Festival
Olde Towne East Jazz Festival was founded in April 2023 as a 501(c)3 active non-profit organization. Our organization designs community-based events of cultural importance that elevate the Olde Towne East and Near East side Community.
Formed to improve the quality of life in our community and spark community engagement through Music and the Arts we have created a platform to provide artists and local acts who usually are not able to be a headliner to be seen and heard to gain exposure and bring awareness to Ohio’s rich history of Jazz and the Music Scene. We spotlight a brand-new band each year who would not ordinarily have the opportunity to play at other Columbus festivals and venues. We set out to bring back to light this forgotten rich jazz history of Olde Towne East and the Near East Side starting with our red-carpet experience. We also advocate for Olde Towne East and Near East side for neighborhood improvements and policy changes that will allow Olde Towne East and Near East Side residents to thrive.
2025 Olde Towne East Jazz Festival and Martin J Ruffin Community Day:
The Olde Towne East Jazz Festival and The Martin J Ruffin Community Event will bring attention back to a once historical area and give hope to its rebirth and regain its rich history as a great Mecca by sparking community participation.
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The 3rd Annual Olde Towne East Jazz Festival is a 3-day outdoor event at Blackburn Park that will feature a Celebrity Jam Kick-off event Friday, September 12th, 2025 from 6-10pm (to include Al Smith’s Celebrity Jam Session who is a notable music producer who has shared his musical talents in numerous Tyler Perry movies, toured with many great musicians such as top Saxophonist Kim Waters, USHER, Phil Perry, etc. and his celebrity clientele include Maysa, Kenny Lattimore, T.C Carson to name a few). Local musicians will have the distinction to perform with our celebrity guests.
Our festival’s theme this year is Bringin' it Back Home paying homage to the historic Comin' Home Festival with the original organizer Lawrence Auls. And he will be kicking off the iconic Line Dancing that made it into the Guiness Book of World Records on Saturday, September 13th, 2025.
We will again have headlining International Jazz recording artists, national and local Jazz Groups as well as community leaders on September 13th-14th,2025 from 1pm – 9:30pm. We look forward once again to Mayor Andrew Ginther attending and commencing with opening remarks. Our Martin J Ruffin Community Outreach in the afternoon of Saturday, September13th, 2025, will include care packages for needy families, food giveaway along with Social Services agencies onsite with a family orientated theme.
Followed by our Jazz in the Park Brunch event Sunday, September 14th, 2025, 130pm-3pm catered for Friends of the Homeless, a men’s homeless shelter which is ideally located next door to Blackburn Park. We recognize that homelessness is an issue in Central Ohio and we endeavor to give back by partnering with Nehemiah Project, Goodwill and Dress for Success to provide fresh new clothing and uplifting them in a positive way as they transition through housing options.