UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival

06/07/2026

Our Festival is a little over a month away running from 17 - 19 July and we can't wait to welcome you. The music will be HOT, the food will be great and the vibe will definitely be ALIVE! Check out our line up here: https://uptownwaterloojazzfestival.ca/festival-line-up
Don't forget that our friends at Delta Hotels by Marriott Waterloo are offering a special rate for Festival fans!
https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1775848495578&key=GRP&app=resvlink&_branch_match_id=1573103519737088481&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXTywo0MtNLCrKzC8p0UvOz9UvSi3OyczLtgdK2ALZZSCOWmaKraG5uamFiYWJpampuYVadmqlrXtQgFpdUWpaKlB3Xnp8UlF%2BeXFqkW1wYlpiUSYA%2BRdZpGAAAAA%3D
If you are coming from out of town to see one of the performers, why not make it an entire weekend because the music is FREE! See you there!!

06/06/2026

💛 How can you support our festival?

The Sun Life UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival remains a FREE 3 day festival because of all of your generous support! We host a number of fundraising events, but we could also use help in other ways as well. We compiled this list of ways that you can help us out this year!

- Our 50/50 Early Bird Draw date is fast approaching! Support us and win big for yourself! It truly is a Win/Win! https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/utwjf
- If you are interested in Sponsorship, please reach out to us with an email: [email protected]
- Donations are always accepted- even a cup of coffee's worth goes so far! We'll be collecting donations at the festival entrance! If you'd like to make a donation online, visit our website! https://uptownwaterloojazzfestival.ca/
- Volunteers help the world spin! If you're interested, visit https://uptownwaterloojazzfestival.ca/volunteer to apply and help out!

Best of all... come out to the festival and party with us!
July 17th - 19th 2026
See you soon!
🎺🪊🎷

06/05/2026

Our FREE Festival can really use your support! Thank you for considering this.

Grab Your 50/50 Tickets for a chance to win the Early Bird and Cash Prize‼️ By entering, you help support the Jazz Festival, and gain the chance to win half the jackpot for our draw!

Early Bird Draw: June 15th
Final Draw Date: July 19th

➡️ https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/utwjf ⬅️

🎺🎺🎷🎷

06/05/2026

Check this out! Rob Deboer of Four80East had a chat with Vickie van D**e of Wave 94.7 about his group's upcoming performance at the 2026 Sun Life UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival!

Four80East usually plays as a 6 piece band, but at the festival, they're bringing 2 extra members! Come out and dance with them on Friday, July 17th!

The 2026 Sun Life UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival runs from the 17th-19th of July. Each day features amazing & energetic performances. You won't want to miss this! 🎷🎺

Watch the video interview here:

WAVE.FM and 94.7 HD-2 Radio - Southern Ontario's Smoothest Groove. Playing today's smooth jazz. Listen live; online, your smart speaker and streaming services.

06/02/2026

🎺 2026 ARTIST HIGHLIGHT - Bria Moore! 🎺

Bria Moore is an 18 year-old multi-instrumentalist, arranger and vocalist from Drayton, ON. She comes from a musical family which exposed her to many genres and styles of music at an extremely young age.
Bria herself is rooted in a deep love of jazz and jazz fusion, and she is emerging as a fresh and compelling voice in this generation of musicians. With this deep intuition for jazz, Bria seamlessly moves between her instruments and the microphone blending her technical skill with her unique vocal sound.

Bria is making her debut at the Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival and is thrilled to be a part of this great Canadian showcase.

05/31/2026

Our Artistic Director Derek Hines laid it down for Galt Jazz Cambridge this afternoon! Band mates Jeff Daniels, Tyler Wagler and Andy Macpherson provided their usual solid support! What a great day for great music outside!!

05/28/2026

Grab Your 50/50 Tickets for a chance to win the Early Bird and Cash Prize‼️ By entering, you help support the Jazz Festival, and gain the chance to win half the jackpot for our draw!

Early Bird Draw: June 15th
Final Draw Date: July 19th

➡️ https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/utwjf ⬅️

🎺🎺🎷🎷

05/27/2026

This Friday, our friends at The Jazz Room are presenting Caleb Khuu, who performed at our Festival last year. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful venue in our Region that features a great blend of local, national and international talent. Thanks to Larry Larson and his team for all they do to make life better here!

Friday night at The Jazz Room, you're not going to want to miss Caleb Khuu!

Caleb Khuu presents an electrifying night of jazz, blues, funk, and everything in between. Featuring an exceptional trio performing original music alongside fresh, masterful reinterpretations of beloved tunes, this is a night you won’t want to miss!

Caleb Khuu is a dynamic and versatile multi-instrumentalist based in the Kitchener–Waterloo region. A first-call session musician and sideman for over a dozen artists, he has performed to audiences of 3000+ and made more than 100 appearances in the past year alone. His work spans genres including pop, funk, hip hop, alternative rock, folk, country, and jazz. He shares his passion as a jazz guitar instructor at the University of Guelph and through his private teaching studio, mentoring the next generation of musicians. He is proud to be an endorsed artist with D’Addario.

05/25/2026

On May 31st, the Derek Hines Quartet will be performing on Cambridge's Main Street! (You may know Derek as our Artistic Director!)
Check this poster out & head over to Cambridge next week for an awesome three hours of music! 🎤🎺

Come and enjoy the sultry sounds of Derek Hines on Cambridge's Main Street! 3 hours of great FREE music, patios open, Encore Kids Zone...bring a chair, relax, enjoy!

05/23/2026

We’re getting ready for the 2026 Festival (July 17-19, mark your calendars!) You won’t want to miss it!

Your help keeps the festival running with free entry year to year! We are so grateful.❣️
If you are wondering how to support us, we have a 50/50 draw, volunteer opportunities, and more to be announced! As well, donations are always welcome.

50/50 Link: https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/utwjf

Photo from the wonderful performance in 2025 by Christine Jensen!