30th Nelson Jazz Summer Festival 2025
The 30th Nelson Jazz Summer Festival 2025 will be held on 3rd – 5th January 2025. This year the Nelson Jazz Club Festival Committee has returned to a three day festival with an incredible line up of bands. Tickets are available through Humanitix on the Nelson Jazz Club website:
Friday, 3rd January at Founders
The Festival kicks off at Founders Heritage Park at 3 pm until 8 pm. Bring your dancing shoes, a blanket and room for some drinks and food from the food carts.
Nelson Jazz Club Big Band - Start off with the sounds of our own NJC BB. What a wonderful way to start with some of the jazz favourites and standards.
Tessa Q Jazz Set will bring you those wonderful tones of Tessa and her ensemble.
West Coast Blues Band - It starts ramping up with the West Coast Blues Band: one of our favourites to get dancing.
Boogie Train: The Reunion - The Opening of the Festival finishes the mighty Boogie Train, steaming back into sunny Nelson for a long overdue one-off performance and first Jazz Festival headline show in nearly four years.
Dirty Boots Roebuck - Vox & Harp, Junior Olsen - Geetars, Farouk Bishop - Bass & Vox, Mojo McGregor - Drums, Sissmo Sissons - Sound Magic. Smashing out the absolute best of The Blues & Beyond. ALL ABOARD!Tickets are $20 for the general public and Under 16 free. Nelson Jazz Club members will receive $5 off if you apply your membership number when buying your ticket online.
Saturday, 4th January
After a roaring start on Friday, next will be different jazz groups playing around the region. Some groups will be playing in the afternoon and the rest will be in the evening in Nelson’s CBD. Park your car and go to all the venues to catch the acts.
1903 Square: Brazilian Social Club … at the 1903 Square (top of Trafalgar Street, town centre), playing from 12 – 2:00 pm. Free to everyone.
(Also: Tickets for Sunday Festival available).Honest Lawyer: Dixie Swing - Chill out in the afternoon 2pm - 4pm enjoy Jazz and your favourite beverage and nibbles.
Two Thumbs: Rinholio will be playing some jazzy tunes 7.30pm - 10.30pm.
Kismet: Ampersand enjoy smooth trio sounds 8pm - 10pm
Bamboo Tiger: Jane and Francis - doing their thing in the evening at 9pm - 10:3-pm
Sunday, 5th January at Washbourn Gardens
The Festival closes at Washbourn Gardens with five great bands starting at 3 pm until 8 pm. Bring a blanket and don’t worry about leaving to get something to eat because there will be food carts that will have food and drink. The afternoon has an amazing line up:
Nelson Jazz Club Big Band: No festival would be complete without hearing our favourite jazz standards from our very own Big Band. They have a tremendous sound.
Colette Jansen Trio: If you haven’t heard Colette and her band, it’s a great opportunity to do so. They will kick start the afternoon with some jazz that will get you in the mood.
We Three: An amazing trio with a funk/soul vibe. Carefully crafting all your faves with a twist
Riwaka High Rollers.. Jazzy Quartet of groovers including local players Craig Denham, Nathan Torvik.
Sun City Soul: There is no other way to end the evening but with our headliner band playing the tunes that you will not want them to stop.
Tickets: $15 for general admission and Under 16 free. Members receive a $5 discount by adding their membership number when buying online.
Tickets are available now. There may be limited numbers at some events. If the Opening and Closing events are cancelled, refunds will be given to ticket holders.
Please note: that there may be a discrepancy about the number of years the Jazz Club started a festival. There were years that the Nelson Jazz Club couldn’t hold a festival, so this is our best calculation: 30th Nelson Jazz Summer Festival.
