The fourth annual Southeast Queens Jam Festival will be held on Saturday, July 22, at Rufus King Park in Jamaica bringing some of the community’s best talent together for a free day of live music and entertainment.
The event, organized by the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) and funded by National Grid, will begin at 3 p.m. at Rufus King Park located at 150-29 Jamaica Ave.
Having grown since its inception in 2020—when it was the first public arts event in Queens to take place in person (but outside) after the COVID lockdown—Southeast Queens Jam Fest has made the move into Rufus King Park to accommodate the expected audience.
The festival is the culminating event for JCAL’s Riddim Section, a celebration and exploration of the music of the diaspora, according to JCAL Executive Director Leonard Jacobs.
“Every month since the wintertime, JCAL has been honored to bring so many artists, gifted in so many styles and approaches to their music, to incredibly diverse audiences throughout Southeast Queens. So when you think about it, the day-long Jam Fest concert in Rufus King Park is equally a tribute to the vibrancy of our audiences,” Jacobs said.
This year’s festival lineup includes Steven Kroon, the electrifying Latin Jazz musician who has performed with artists such as Luther Vandross, Ron Carter, Aretha Franklin, and Lady Gaga.
JCAL has also brought back a few favorites from the 2023 Riddim Section season lineup to perform.
The members of the Angels Caribbean Band come from, and mix styles from, various Caribbean islands. Acclaimed Jazz musician and Southeast Queens’ own Kofi Hunter will deliver an exciting homecoming performance. The lineup will be rounded out with the Barlett Contemporaries, a legendary urban contemporary band with a fresh explosive sound.
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL), founded in 1972, is a multidisciplinary arts center based in the diverse community of Southeast Queens. Our mission is devoted to offering quality visual, performing, and literary arts, and to providing accessible education programs to encourage participation in the arts.
For additional information, call JCAL at 718-658-7400 or visit JCAL.org.
