Highland Jazz & Blues Festival facts for kids

Highland Jazz & Blues Festival
Genre	Blues, jazz
Dates	second Saturday of November
Location(s)	Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Years active	2003-present
Website	www.highlandjazzandblues.org

The Highland Jazz & Blues Festival is a fun yearly event in Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. It's a big party that celebrates both music and arts. Every year, it happens on the second Saturday of November. You can find it at Columbia Park, which is a lovely city park in the old Highland neighborhood.

The festival started in 2003, created by a group called the Highland Area Partnership, Inc. (HAP). It's a special event because it's a non-profit, meaning it doesn't try to make money for itself. Instead, it helps the neighborhood grow and get better. The best part? You don't have to pay to get in! Any money made from the festival goes right back into making the festival even better or helping with other projects in the community.

What to Expect at the Festival

Amazing Music and Performers

The Highland Jazz & Blues Festival is known for its awesome music. Most of the 10 bands that play are talented musicians from Shreveport itself. But since 2008, the festival has also brought in a special guest, called a headliner. This headliner is usually a famous jazz or blues musician from outside the local area.

These headliners often show off a special style of jazz or blues music. For example, a Grammy Award winner named Henry Gray has played there. And in 2009, the famous Rebirth Brass Band performed, bringing their lively brass sounds to the festival.

Delicious Food and Crafts

The festival isn't just about music! In 2005, they added food and craft vendors. This means you can find lots of tasty treats and cool handmade items while you enjoy the music. When they first started, there were only three vendors. But the festival has become so popular that by 2010, there were as many as fifty-six different vendors! It's a great place to try new foods and find unique gifts.