Lake Anna Jazz Fest 2024

Start: Sunday, September 15, 2024 12:00PM
End: Sunday, September 15, 2024 6:00PM

Bria Skonberg, the award-winning, internationally acclaimed trumpet virtuoso, vocalist, and band leader joins nearly 100 other musicians at “Lake Anna Jazz Fest” over the weekend of September 14 and 15, 2024, on the grounds of Cooling Pond Brewery & Winery in Mineral, Virginia. The theme of this year’s event is “Traditional, Swing, Cool, and Bop…Standards, Blues, and Progressive Pop.” This annual concert event is sponsored by Lake Anna Jazz, a non-profit corporation headquartered in Mineral and is being presented as a “sampler” of the variety existing within the musical art form called jazz, with a different group performing every 45-minutes, starting at noon each day and finishing by 6 p.m. Ms. Skonberg and her quintet are Saturday’s headline act, appearing as part of the nationwide tour promoting her new album, “What It Means.” The headliner for Sunday is The Doug Richards Orchestra, a 17-piece ensemble that includes professional musicians and past VCU students who have performed with Mr. Doug Richards, who served as the jazz band director there for over 30 years. According to Robert McBride, President of Lake Anna Jazz, the musical variety that constitutes the term jazz is reflected in this year’s rapid pace of 45-minute sets, featuring a diversity of musical styles. He says this year’s talent level is amazing, since the lineup includes not only internationally-touring groups, but also Virginia-based performers with huge local followings such as Pumphouse Blues, Michael Hawkins & The Brotherhood, and Wyatt Michael, the singer who rose to national attention following his appearance on NBC Television’s show “The Voice.” This year, Lake Anna Jazz Fest is partnering with the Louisa Humane Society (LHS) to introduce the public to wonderful, adoptable dogs who are being fostered by volunteers, as they wait for their “forever homes.” Anyone planning to attend can visit the LHS website to fill out an adoption application ahead of time, so a permanent “love connection” can be made at the event. Link to it at https://louisahumanesociety.com/ The mission of Lake Anna Jazz is to promote the education and performance of jazz in the area surrounding Lake Anna. Through donations and fund-raising activities, it is able to sponsor events like the Lake Anna Jazz Fest at little or no admission cost to the general public. This year’s event also features a $10 fundraising raffle for a chance to win a jazz-themed “Sonor” drum set. The festival’s sponsors include Louisa-based benefactors Patriot Industries, Lake Anna Property Management, and Spring Oak senior living center, Charlottesville-based Crutchfield Electronics, Fredericksburg-based Sheehy Toyota, and Kat’s Kennels of Farmville. Admission to the show is free for those under 21, and adult tickets for the entire weekend are $12 each. Upgraded “VIP” tickets cost $50 and add reserved parking, an entry into the raffle, and access to the festival hospitality tent. The Cooling Pond Brewery & Winery is a working agricultural site, so the public is welcome to bring their own snacks and picnics, but outside alcohol is not allowed. Food trucks will be on the premises and Cooling Pond serves its freshly brewed beers, along with local wines, ciders, and soft drinks. Local vendors will be on site to present their goods and services for learning, browsing, and shopping.