Each year in February, thousands of college, high school, junior high, and elementary school students travel from all over North America to the campus on the Palouse in north Idaho to meet great jazz performers, partake in vocal and instrumental adjudicated performances, and attend concerts and workshops.
Some of the jazz greats who have performed at the festival include Ella Fitzgerald, Gerry Mulligan, Dizzy Gillespie, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Dianne Reeves, Stan Getz, Carmen McRae, Joey DeFrancesco, Benny Green, Abbey Lincoln, Hank Jones, Roy Hargrove, Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis and Sarah Vaughan and of course the eponymous Lionel Hampton and his New York Big Band, who first played at the festival in 1984.
Elementary, middle and junior high school vocal and instrumental groups participate in Wednesday intensives; Thursday is a mix of college and elementary students, and Friday is focused on high school vocal groups.
Students' evaluated performances and workshops are held at more than twenty sites on the UI campus and in the town of Moscow.
The workshops provide an opportunity for jazz masters and students to meet in casual yet structured settings.