What better way to gear up for a great weekend of jazz than with a wonderful party. When that event gets you together with old and new friends, serves up delicious things to eat, great French wines, excellent music and art, AND helps kids to get a jazz education second to none, you can’t beat that!

This year the Litchfield Jazz Fest Opening Night Gala is back and at a wonderful new venue — The Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens. Thanks to generous Washington community members on a mission, an abandoned gas station morphed into a jewel of a community gathering space. The Washington Park Foundation, the energy behind this undertaking, had a plan for the space and its surroundings that would make anyone with a soul want to spend time there. You can too!

The Gala will feature music by top Litchfield Jazz Campers, delicious appetizers by Litchfield’s popular eatery Meraki, and reserve French wine, courtesy of Vandoren Vineyards. And, the artwork of local mixed media artist, Peter Wooster will be on display.

Proceeds from the Gala support need-based scholarships at Litchfield Jazz Camp. The Opening Night Gala is included in all Best Friend, Friend, and Friday Patron Fest tickets. All these tickets include a reserved premium seat for the Festivals’ Friday Evening Show, the Litchfield Jazz Orchestra with vocalist Alexis Cole at Emerson Performing Arts Center (EPAC) at the Gunnery (Rt 47) at 7:45pm.

WHEN: Friday, July 26 @ 5:30 PM

WHERE: Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens, Washington Depot, CT