Last Saturday, Longwood Park in Salem was the place to be for food, fun and funky jazz thanks to the Salem Parks and Recreation Department’s tenth annual “Jazz in July” festival.

This year the family-friendly event, which was also sponsored by Q-99 FM, Four Seasons Sunrooms and the Salem Merchants Association, brought about 300 people to the park with lawn chairs and blankets in tow.

Though festival-goers were allowed to bring a picnic lunch, the Salem Kiwanis Club was on hand to sell hamburgers, hotdogs and Sno-Cones. The festival’s attendees also had the chance to win a number of raffles from the various sponsors—including a top-of-the-line grill from Q-99 FM.

Five bands played almost nonstop from 3 – 9:30 p.m. and, with the park’s the hilly landscape creating natural stadium-seating, most spectators were able to find a perfect view of the stage. Young and old alike enjoyed the full evening of classic jazz hits like Bill Withers’ “Aint No Sunshine” and Miles Davis’ “Solar.”

Top photo: The Blue 5 Jazz Septet gets their set going with “Solar” by Miles Davis.
Bottom photo: Melvin Butler (right), who played the saxophone with both the Pace Bros. Organ Trio and the Blue 5 Jazz Septet, talks to a fan in between sets.

For more photos of the event, visit our gallery.

Photos by Ryan Jones, So Salem