Rosslyn Jazz Fest to return in September for its 31st year

The Rosslyn Jazz Fest is returning for its 31st year, with groups coming from as near as across the Potomac and as far as New Orleans.

The free outdoor event will take place on Sept. 9 from 1-7 p.m. in Gateway Park (1300 Landston Blvd).

Throughout the afternoon, performers will take the stage to play a variety of music styles, from R&B to soul and hip-hop to traditional jazz, a press release said. There will also be food trucks and games for attendees to enjoy.

Headlining the event is New Orleans-based quintet Galactic, which has performed with famous acts such as Dave Matthews Band and the Allman Brothers Band, and at high-profile venues, including Coachella.

Other groups include:

• Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez
• D.C.-based Oh He Dead, a six-piece group known for playing everything from soul to rock and putting on energetic live shows
• DuPont Brass, a nine-person group that got its start playing in D.C. Metro stations

“Over the last three decades, Jazz Fest has become Arlington’s largest outdoor music festival that the community has come to know and love,” said Mary-Claire Burick, the president of the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which co-sponsors the event. “Jazz Fest exemplifies the vibrancy of our region and this year’s diverse lineup of artists will fill Gateway Park and bring us together to enjoy an afternoon of great music and fun with family and friends.”

This year’s lineup will get audience members jazzed about the wide-ranging genre, according to Josh Stoltzfus, the director of the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division.

“Fueled by the deep creative well of jazz and its extensions, Jazz Fest is a showcase for artists who are inspired to take music in new directions,” he said in a statement. “From the Afro-Cuban jazz throughline of Pedrito Martinez, to Galactic’s fresh take on the musical mash-up of New Orleans traditions, to the soulful Oh He Dead, this year’s high-energy mix of genres will keep audiences on their feet.”

Ticketing for the festival will open on Aug. 1. Guests are not required to register for the event, however, it is encouraged in accordance with the park’s capacity limits, the festival webpage said.