27th Annual Balcones Heights Jazz Festival
It’s BACK! The 27th season of the incredible Balcones Heights Jazz Festival is back.
Friday, July 16, 2021 marks the return of a live, Balcones Heights Jazz Festival event at the incomparable Amphitheater at Wonderland of the Americas.
The City of Balcones Heights celebrates its 27th season of providing renowned jazz performers from across the country. Since 1993, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has captivated jazz aficionados every summer with a free stellar line-up.
The festival's laid back and family-friendly atmosphere will welcome an estimated 4,000 jazz fans from in and around Texas. Regulars or "Jazz Babies" have been known to stake out their claim, with lawn chairs and blankets in tow, days in advance of the event at favorite spots along the edge of the sparkling reflecting pool and fountains of the city's main hub, Wonderland of the Americas.
Fans may recall that the 27th season of this perennially popular event was going to spread out across the 2020 - 2021 calendar. This was partly in response to those fans who also asked why the concerts were presented in the heat of summer. Also the change up was designed to facilitate the potential transition into a future Balcones Heights Music Festival, with smooth jazz and other genres throughout the year.
First out of the gate of the new timetable was a proposed, first-ever Christmas Jazz Concert. However, due to the pandemic, we did not hold a “live” first ever Christmas Concert, but we did hold a virtual one, featuring San Antonio’s own MiChelle Garibay-Carey, with PM Soul and Toro Flores with Zarabande. The event, recorded inside Wonderland of the Americas, went online the week of Christmas and is still on the City’s YouTube channel.
Season 27 continues on Friday, July 16, with the incredible Joe Posada Trio opening at 7:30 pm, and Nils and Johnny Britt headlining at 9:00 pm.
“We are delighted to once again present the very best in smooth jazz, live, in this amazing venue at Wonderland of the Americas,” said Balcones Heights Mayor Suzanne de Leon.
“This is such a unique family-friendly event! The diversity of our crowds is simply awesome!”
Admission is free. Parking is also free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
No coolers allowed on the grounds.
There is no reserved seating on the hillside or surrounding areas of the Amphitheater.
Looking to the future, Nastasi says another live concert is tentatively planned for Friday, October 22, and yes, plans are underway for a LIVE Christmas Jazz Concert in December.
David Muñoz, host on iHeart Radio’s “Smooth Jazz San Antonio” will emcee the year-long festival. He’s hosted the Jazz Festival every year since the festival’s inception. Muñoz can now be heard talking about jazz and upcoming shows on the iHeart Radio app and on 101.9 FM in HD.
"We are excited to welcome a diverse line-up of headlining and opening act performances to the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival," said Balcones Heights Director of Economic Development & Public Affairs, Lorenzo Nastasi. "We are thrilled to give our audience stellar performances from our talented and accomplished artists, making this year's 27th Balcones Heights Jazz Festival one to remember."
