Music has brought people together since the beginning of human history, and something about its magical properties keeps us wanting to experience it more and more. While listening to music through headphones and car radios can certainly be enjoyable, there’s nothing quite like listening to music live with a crowd of people all enjoying it together. The reason that music festivals have maintained their popularity is the fact that there’s nothing like them anywhere else in the world, and each one has its own unique identity: Woodstock will always be remembered by the people who went there, and this could be your chance to make memories that will last a lifetime too.

Even if you’re not familiar with the jazz community, you could get that feeling of wonder and joy by going to the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival in Gahanna, Ohio this June 15 - 17.

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What you want: the artists

What’s that sound? Just some of the most talented musicians in the industry, that’s all

Soul Kitch’n’s Beautiful Musical Blends

With 55 artists over 3 days of music, this year’s festival is absolutely jam-packed with amazing sounds and people. A full list of the artists is on the festival’s website, but there were a couple artists that stand out. “Soul Kitch’n” sounds especially impressive, they’ve been playing in the Columbus area for the past 14 years, and their sounds dabble across a huge range of different musical tastes, like R&B, funk, and soul. With their energy and enthusiasm for their music, their performance is sure to engage the audience no matter their background, and their different influences can appeal to many people’s tastes.

Swing’s the Thing Will Make You Wanna Move

There’s nothing that gets my heart pumping like a dozen unified brass voices, and “Swing’s the Thing” is perfect for delivering just that, with 16 members playing together to create one beautiful experience. Their sounds also span a large musical range, with jazz classics from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Glenn Miller, but they also perform body-moving dance music from polka, rumba, samba, mambo, waltz, rock, blues, disco, and more!

The Musical Medley of  Angela Perley

If neither of those suggestions jazzed you up (what pun?) then maybe “Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons” is more your speed. With an awesome-sounding description as being somewhere between rock music and psychedelia, Anyone with a taste for interesting sounds would be blown away by their music. And with influences like Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Nebula, and David Gilmour, they sound like a group that knows how to rock a festival setting.

Let’s say that none of these bands got you excited. That’s fine: there are 52 other musical artists that could spark your interest! With such a selection, it’s extremely likely that you’ll run into at least one or two artists that could get you craving for more. If you’re looking for an experience to expose yourself to the wonders of jazz and blues, can you go wrong by exploring the absolute best that the genre has to offer with hundreds of others? No, you can’t.

Activate All the Senses with Endless Activities

You won’t BELIEVE what kind of animal the Turtle Lady will bring!

One of the great things about festivals is that with the awesomeness that is live music, there’s also a distinct atmosphere of fun and community that pervades the entire scene. At Creekside, they amplify this feeling with a host of amazing activities that you can experience with family and friends. For example, the Turtle Lady! On June 17 between 12 - 4 pm, there will be a visitor from the Gahanna Animal Hospital to demonstrate some fantastic animals to kids! It’s a great activity that’ll definitely be captivating and fun. Along with the lively critters, amusement rides and games add thrills and excitement to entertain patrons of all ages.

The Family Fun Zone will allow your children to experience the delight of music festivals in hands-on activities and engaging products. And if you’re really trying to introduce your little one to the joys of music, there’s even a musical discovery zone where they can do activities with real musicians to discover how much fun music can be!

Don’t worry though, this festival isn’t just for kids. There’s also a vibrant shopping scene featuring items from local artisans and other standard festival fare like shirts and bracelets. One of the featured items is apparently a jazz sculpture; I have no idea what that is, and I absolutely know that I would buy it. Beyond festival-centered shops, there are also several retail stores located on the festival grounds like Bicycle One and K’s Kernels, so there’s quite a variety of ways to get your shopping fix alongside the fantastic musical experiences. And if you’re worried about festival food, fear not! With over 20 different food vendors serving everything from gourmet burgers to something called elephant ears (delicious I’m sure), it’s practically impossible to be disappointed with the selection of cuisine. Some of the food vendors include Island Noodles and Ribman Catering. Even if the festival vendors aren’t your style, there are over a dozen established restaurants that service the festival grounds and the surrounding area, so delicious food is never far away!

An Unforgettable Experience To Commemorate Your New Passion

You’re trying something new; you deserve a treat!

So you’ve been curious about jazz for a long time, not knowing where to start. That’s fine! It’s hard to jump into a totally new world, especially if you have no guides or friends who can introduce you to things. But first off, you should congratulate yourself! Trying something new is fulfilling, and the fact you’re doing it at all is awesome! What better way to celebrate your new passion than by going to an entire festival about it! You’ve already seen how awesome and exciting the artists are, how fun and engaging all the activities and thrills will be, and the great food and shopping to boot. Take a vacation from all your hard work, and start enjoying some jazz!