Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival
Bringing the world to Springfield. Celebrating music, culture, and community.
A Celebration of Music and Community
Since 2014, Blues to Green has presented the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, a free annual celebration of outstanding music, arts, and culture that brings thousands of people together in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts.
Rooted in the musical traditions of the African diaspora, the festival showcases acclaimed musicians from across the United States and around the world alongside talented local artists. Through jazz, blues, gospel, Afro-Caribbean, Latin American, and other musical traditions, audiences experience the rich cultural influences that have shaped American music and continue to inspire musicians globally.
More than a music festival, Jazz & Roots is a joyful gathering where people of different backgrounds and generations come together to celebrate cultural diversity, discover new music, and experience the connections that unite us.
Bringing the World to Springfield
The festival brings artists and cultural traditions from around the world into conversation with Springfield's diverse communities. Through performances, storytelling, and educational activities, audiences encounter the histories and experiences that shape the music, fostering cultural pride, curiosity, and mutual understanding.
By presenting the festival free of charge, Blues to Green removes financial barriers to exceptional artistic experiences. Alongside world-class performances, the festival offers opportunities for participation through dance, visual arts, youth performances, workshops, and family-friendly activities.
These experiences connect local and global cultures while inspiring creativity and celebrating the extraordinary cultural richness already present in our community.
Strengthening Springfield
The festival contributes to Springfield's cultural and economic vitality by transforming downtown public spaces into vibrant gathering places filled with music, dance, creativity, and community spirit.
Thousands of residents and visitors come together to enjoy performances, support local food vendors and artisans, discover local talent, and connect with community organizations.
By creating a welcoming space for people across racial, cultural, generational, and economic differences, Jazz & Roots fosters community pride, strengthens relationships, and celebrates Springfield as a vibrant cultural destination.
More Than Music
The Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival reflects Blues to Green's belief that music and the arts can inspire understanding, resilience, and positive change.
Through artist conversations, collaborative art projects, and partnerships with community organizations, festival programming explores connections among cultural heritage, racial justice, environmental health, climate justice, and community wellbeing.
These activities are part of Blues to Green's broader Arts for Racial & Climate Justice initiative, which connects global and historical challenges with the experiences of local communities.
Above all, the festival celebrates the joy, creativity, and collective spirit that emerge when people come together through music and the arts.
Join the Celebration!
Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival |
Join us in downtown Springfield for another free celebration of exceptional music, cultural diversity, creativity, and community!
Visit the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival website for artist announcements, schedules, and festival information.