There is an opening night gala, three days of jazz, a juried craft show, a variety of food vendors, performances on a second stage by students from the Litchfield Jazz Camp, a kid's craft corner, an Artist Talk Tent where the Artist-in-Residence leads interviews, and MC's clinics by festival stars.
Over the years the Litchfield Jazz Festival has presented legends like Dave Brubeck, Tito Puente, Ray Charles, Dr. John, the Heath Brothers, and Slide Hampton as well as introduced new talent and fostered the careers of Diana Krall, Brad Mehldau, Jane Monheit, Matt Wilson, Don Braden, Robert Glasper, and many others.
Students work in skill-matched combos, both at the camp and on the Gazebo Stage at the Litchfield Jazz Festival.
Instruction is offered in voice, piano, guitar, bass, drums, Latin rhythms, saxophones, clarinet, flute, and brass.
These have included Toots Thielemans, Sonny Rollins, Tom Harrell, Bill Charlap, Kenny Werner, Kenny Rankin, Stanley Turrentine, Paquito D’Rivera, James Moody, Danilo Perez, Jane Monheit, and Béla Fleck.