Rosslyn Jazz Fest returns this week with pre-festival performances

Rosslyn’s long-running jazz festival returns this weekend, and the festivities leading up to it will include a roving band in an open-air bus.

The 30th annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest, set for this Saturday, will bring the international sounds and rhythms of jazz to Gateway Park at 1300 Langston Blvd.

From 1-7 p.m., attendees can vibe to performances by the headliner, Cuban funk musician Cimafunk, as well as these acts:

• Harlem-based Mwenso and the Shakes, a jazz and blues band made of up immigrants from all around the world
• Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, a soul-and-jazz fusion band from Seattle originally
• Groove Orchestra, a jazz ensemble headed by D.C. multi-instrumentalist Samuel Prather.

There will be food trucks and yard games, and attendees can browse tables selling merchandise and representing community organizations.

Registration is encouraged due to the park’s capacity limit.

But the jazz party is already getting started, with happy-hour performances this evening and tomorrow. And, for the first time, jazz artists will serenade strollers from an open-top bus rolling through the neighborhood this Thursday.

Tonight (Tuesday), Stickman Band will play from 6-8 p.m. at the outdoor patio of Assembly, located in Rosslyn City Center (1700 N Moore Street).

Tomorrow (Wednesday), Blue Dot Jazz Troupe will accompany shoppers at the Freshfarm Farmers Market and happy hour event from 5-7 p.m.

BroadSound Band will perform a mix of jazz and pop hits from an open-top bus between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday.

More on that from the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which organizes the annual festival:

Rosslyn’s first ever Rosslyn Rolling Concert is here in celebration of our 30th Rosslyn Jazz Fest! On Thursday, Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. an open-top bus will hit the streets through the Rosslyn neighborhood (and beyond) with the BroadSound Band performing a mix of jazz and pop hits!

At each stop, we’ll have Rosslyn swag giveaways for those out in the neighborhood. The bus will stop at designated locations (listed below) for performances, starting and ending at Central Place Plaza. Get rolling into the weekend with this final jazz performance before the festival!

If you can’t make the rolling concert, tune in for live updates on our Instagram story!

ROSSLYN ROLLING CONCERT SCHEDULE

• (A) 11:00 a.m. – Central Place Plaza
• (B) 11:30 a.m. – Corner of N. Oak St. and Wilson Blvd. (by Hot Lola’s and the Parklet)
• (C) 12:00 p.m. – HB Woodlawn Secondary School
• (D) 12:30 p.m. – 1425 N. Courthouse Rd. (by the Arlington County Justice Center)
• (E) 1:00 p.m. – 1400 14th St. N. Arlington
• (F) 1:15 p.m. – Dark Star Park
• (G) 1:30 p.m. – Central Place Plaza