Outer Banks Weekend Plans: Duck Jazz Festival

If you love jazz, this is your weekend. The multi-day Duck Jazz Festival is back after a pandemic hiatus with jazz performances by local, regional and national acts in Duck Town Park. If you’re not so sure you love jazz, this will definitely be the event that gives you an appreciation for this American art form.

Photo: Local favorite jazz band Joe Mapp and the Coordinates will sit in with visiting jazz musicians at The Blue Point on Friday night.

Duck Jazz Festival has been a hugely successful event since it was founded in 2006, even more so than the town ever expected. The Town of Duck is the Outer Banks’ youngest town, incorporated in 2002. Duck Mayor Pro Tem Monica Thibodeau, the town’s longest-serving town council member, was on the initial town board of the new town. She says one of their goals was to establish the Town of Duck as a vibrant cultural, recreational and entertainment center, and one of their first projects in fulfilling that goal was to create an 11-acre soundside park. Then board member Nancy Caviness had the idea to establish a festival in the park.

“Nancy suggested that we create a signature event to share our beautiful park with everyone,” Thibodeau says. “She suggested a jazz festival, and we were all really excited about it."

Photo: Duck Town Park's Town Green is the setting for the main stage, but there are also events in the Amphitheater.

Thibodeau says it was surprising that the small town staff was able to plan the festival with everything else they had on their plates, "but they were able to get it off the ground and keep it going," she says. "It was just amazing that the staff was able to create this festival.”

Even more remarkable, Thibodeau says, is the talent they have able to recruit for the festival. “The caliber is amazing. We’re able to draw local, regional and national names, and it brings a lot of people to our town.”

Unbelievably, it’s all free. You don’t have to buy tickets or even bring cash. Just show up with a chair or blanket, find a place and watch the show. This is thanks to the Town of Duck, presenting sponsor PNC Bank and other sponsors that include Nags Head Hammocks, Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, Outer Banks This Week, VHB, Outer Banks Visitors Guide, Carolina Designs Realty, North Beach Sun, Sun Realty, Steve Alterman Photography, 99.1 The Sound, Resort Realty, The Blue Point, 102.5 The Shark, Dixie 105.7, The Outer Banks Voice and more.

Duck Jazz Festival is a true community event. In addition to all of that business support, a ton of volunteers come out to help make it happen. And the number of locals who show up to enjoy the music makes it a big Outer Banks reunion with the welcome addition of visitors and out-of-town property owners. The event is also growing, from a single-day event in 2006 to a full weekend event with side events held all around town at local restaurants.

Photo: John Jorgenson Quintet, playing the Main Stage on Sunday, is a nationally touring ensemble that formed in 2004. They play Gypsy Jazz in the swing style of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli but draw in elements of Latin, Romanian, classical, rock and Greek music. They are the only American act to ever headline the prestigious Django Reinhardt Memorial Festival in France.

Duck Jazz Festival Lineup

Thursday, October 6

10:30 a.m. Jazz-Themed Story Time in the Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall

6 p.m. Nature on the Boardwalk (register at events@townofduck.com)

Friday, October 7

9 a.m. Duck Sweep - clean up the beach and trail before the festival

6:45 p.m. Movie on the Green: Soul (family-friendly and free)

Saturday, October 8

4 to 6 p.m.  La Fiesta Latin Jazz Quartet on the Town Green

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Live Jam at The Blue Point - Festival artists sit in with Joe Mapp & the Coordinates

Sunday, October 9

Town Green

11 a.m. Bassel & the Supernaturals

1:10 p.m. John Jorgenson Quartet

3:25 p.m. Banda Magda

5:25 p.m. U.S. Air Force Rhythm in Blue Jazz Ensemble

Amphitheater

12:10 p.m. First Flight High School Jazz Band

2:20 p.m. Eric Williams Quintet

4:30 p.m. Devin Frazier & THRIO

A couple of things to note:

• The festival is rain or shine
• Bring a chair or blanket for seating; chair rental is available on site
• Do not bring umbrellas or tents as they obstruct views
• Coolers and food are welcome; food vendors will be on site
• Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome
• Please do not bring glass. Recycling is available for plastic and aluminum on site

Photo: Bassel and the Supernaturals are a nationally touring act. Deeply inspired by Otis Redding, Bassel uses the stage to engage audiences all across American and donates a portion of its profits to the Karam Foundation, which focuses on building a better life for Syrian refugees.

Duck Jazz Festival is just one of dozens of happenings on the Outer Banks this weekend. To see all the great events happening around town, visit our Daytime and Nightlife listings.