Rochester Jazz Fest 2024: Parking, tickets, headliners and more

Victoria E. Freile, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Updated ·5 min read

Navigating the Rochester International Jazz Festival is a breeze. You just need to know a bit about what to expect of the 9-day festival held at 20 venues in downtown Rochester, this year marking its 21st year.

What are the 2024 dates for the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival?

Opening night is set for Friday, June 21, and the festival will run through Saturday, June 29.

Jazz fest parking for 2024

Nearby parking garages (rates vary) include:

  • East End Garage at Main and Scio streets

  • Midtown Garage, with entrances on South Clinton Avenue, Court Street and Broad Street

  • Washington Square Garage on Woodbury Boulevard

  • South Avenue Garage, between South Avenue and Stone Street

  • Sister Cities Garage, on North Fitzhugh Street

  • Mortimer Street Garage, on North Clinton Avenue

Metered street parking is also available and is free after 6 p.m. and on weekends. There are also many privately owned surface lots in the East End area.

Rochester Jazz Fest street closures

American Patchwork Quartet vocalist Falu Shah performs with the group at the Temple Theater at the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 26, 2023.
American Patchwork Quartet vocalist Falu Shah performs with the group at the Temple Theater at the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 26, 2023.

Gibbs Street between East Main Street and East Avenue will be closed to car traffic between Tuesday, June 18 and Tuesday, July 2 – for the duration of the festival, including time to set up and tear down. Another portion of G,ibbs Street (between Grove and East Main streets) will be closed each night of the festival, between 4 p.m. and midnight.

East Avenue (between Scio and Chestnut streets), East Main Street (between Chestnut and Scio streets) and Chestnut Street (between East Main and Broad streets) will be closed to cars each night of the festival from 4 p.m. to midnight.

The streets around Parcel 5 - Elm Street, Cortland Street, Atlas Street, Euclid Street and Andrew Langston Way – will be closed daily between Wednesday, June 26, and Saturday, June 29, from 2 p.m. until midnight.

Other ways to get to the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival

The downtown RTS Transit Center, where all public buses stop, is within walking distance of the festival. A schedule is available at myrts.com.

There are several HOPR bike and scooter share locations near the festival grounds. Designated bike racks for privately owned bicycles are by the Rochester Regional Health Big Tent at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets.

What can I bring to the the Rochester Jazz Festival?

A beautiful night for the start of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival as seen from The Penthouse Roc on the top floor of One East Ave. in 2022. The view overlooks the Parcel 5 stage.
A beautiful night for the start of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival as seen from The Penthouse Roc on the top floor of One East Ave. in 2022. The view overlooks the Parcel 5 stage.

People can bring lawn chairs and blankets to the free outdoor shows. They cannot bring tents, large umbrellas or any sort of shade structure. Pets and coolers are not permitted. Strollers are allowed, but wagons are not.

You are allowed to take photos at the outdoor concerts, but may not use of any sort of camera (cell phones, video or still) or any recording devices at any of the indoor concerts. Photography is permitted only to credentialed photographers in designated areas.

Safety and security at the Rochester jazz fest

Festival organizers in mid-June announced that all bags, purses, backpacks will be subject to search upon entry to the festival.

Children 17 and younger attending the festival must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or adult 25 years or older. An adult may only accompany two unrelated youngsters.

Rochester jazz fest 2024 lineup: The headliners

Laufey
Laufey

Ticketed headliner shows will be held at 8 p.m. on their designated night at Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre:

  • Friday, June 21 – Taj Mahal

  • Saturday, June 22 – Lee Ritenour Band, with special guests Randy Brecker and Bill Evans

  • Wednesday, June 26 – Laufey (show has sold out)

  • Thursday, June 27 – John Oates

  • Friday, June 28 – Samara Joy

Free headliner shows will be held outside and held rain or shine. Each show will begin at 9 p.m., earlier acts perform at 7 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 22 – Christone "Kingfish" Ingram - the East Avenue and Chestnut Street stage

  • Wednesday, June 26 – Sheila E. and the E-Train - Parcel 5

  • Thursday, June 27 – Los Lonely Boys - Parcel 5

  • Friday, June 28 – Cimafunk - Parcel 5

  • Saturday, June 29 – A New Orleans Mardi Gras Party: Rejuvenation 50! - Parcel 5

More: Rochester Jazz Festival lineup: 27 concerts not to miss over the 9 days

How to get Rochester jazz festival tickets

Under a flood of pink lights, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers perform on the Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5 during the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival in 2023.
Under a flood of pink lights, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers perform on the Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5 during the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival in 2023.

For ticketed headliner shows at the Eastman Theatre go to rochesterjazz.com or call (585) 454-2060. You can also purchase tickets at the RIJF Ticket Shop, 105 East Ave. starting June 17. Prices vary based on the show. You can also buy at the door of Eastman Theatre at showtime, if tickets are still available.

Two types of Club Passes are available – a nine-day pass and a three-day pass. The nine-day pass is valid for the full festival and the three-day pass grants access to 3 days of shows at the festival. These passes allow access to the Club Pass Series Shows and can be purchased online at rochesterjazz.com.

You can also pay per show to attend any Club Pass show. Tickets cost $30 cash at the door, $35 cash at Kilbourn Hall.

Rochester Jazz Fest venues

There are 20 venues:

  • Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 115 South Ave.

  • Christ Church, 141 East Ave.

  • City of Rochester East Avenue and Chestnut Street stage, at the intersection of East and Chestnut

  • City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage, Gibbs Street at East Avenue

  • Eastman School of Music Ray Wright Room, 26 Gibbs St.

  • Hatch Recital Hall, 433 E. Main St.

  • Hyatt Regency Rochester Astor on Main, 125 E. Main St.

  • Inn on Broadway, 26 Broadway

  • Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music, 26 Gibbs St.

  • Kodak Hall at the Eastman School of Music, 60 Gibbs St.

  • Max of Eastman Place, 387 E. Main St.

  • Montage Music Hall, 50 Chestnut Plaza

  • Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, East Main Street (between Gibbs and Chestnut streets)

  • Temple Theater, 50 Liberty Pole Way

  • The Duke, 260 E. Main St.

  • The Little Theatre, 240 East Ave.

  • Theater at Innovation Square, 131 Chestnut St.

  • Wegmans Pavilion, corner of East Avenue and Chestnut Street

  • Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5, 285 E. Main St.

  • Wilder Room, 120 East Ave.

A record 211,000 people attended the 2023 festival, which was the first following a two-year hiatus forced by the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2024 event will feature 326 shows by 1,750 artists.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester Jazz Fest 2024: Parking, tickets, headliners and more