Beaches International Jazz Festival

Originally started in 1989,[1] it is now one of Canada's largest free jazz festivals with nearly 1,000,000 attendees, throughout its month-long span.

[2] The Festival takes place across a number of venues; stage concerts are held in several different parks within the area and also along a two kilometre stretch of the Beach mainstreet during StreetFest - Queen Street East.

The Festival now hires around 1000 artists per annum, including 50 bands for its "StreetFest" event along Queen Street East.

[4] The Festival holds a Workshop and Lecture Series which varies each year and is programmed to appeal to both professional musicians and to the general jazz loving public.

In November 2013, the Government of Canada donated $200,000 as part of the Department of Canadian Heritage funding program.