“We’re confident it’s going to make the city proud” – All you need to know about Jazz on the Park coming to Weston Park this summer

Organisers of Jazz on the Park have announced plans to bring internationally-renowned musicians to the last surviving bandstand in Sheffield.

The first ever ticketed music festival set within the stunning grounds of Weston Park will be held on 15 June and also features a pop-up roller rink on a tennis court, poetry and spoken word from black artist’s down by the duck pond, DJs spinning, shops trading, food sizzling and drinks flowing.

The organisers of the event include the people behind successful local projects such as Peddler Market, Mondo Radio, Footprints Jazz Club, Apricot Ballroom and Calabash.

“We’ve all wanted to see something happen in Weston Park for a while, as it’s one of the most beautiful spaces in the city.”

The festival will have three stages across the park. The Bandstand, which was designed all the way back in 1874 and built around 1900, will be the main stage for the day. It will host live acts such as the dreamy sounds of Tony Kofi & Alina Bzhezhinska, who combine saxophone and harp with transcendent results; the slick R&B of Rumbi Tauro; the dnb-jazz of duo j2oh, and the electronic soul of multi-instrumentalist of Mansur Brown. Alongside K.O.G, Balo Afro.desia and Fuji Speedway.

The Mondo Radio Stage will be a DJ-led stage with some leading selectors in the Jazz scene – such as Donna Leake, Anisa, Millie Mckee, Ash & Sirrey, Boss Daddy & Ashley Holmes, Angela Kendall, Holon, MYNA, Levi Bussue – playing a range of sounds such as soul, jazz, disco, house, broken beat and more.

While Calabash Corner will take place by the pond and will feature spoken word and poetry from Afro-Caribbean artists in the city.

Pink Lemonade Roller Disco will take place on the tennis courts and will also be soundtracked by the Mondo Radio Stage. Alongside this, there will be pop-up shops selling everything from records to vintage clothes, along with bars, AV installations and a variety of food vendors.

The aim of the festival is “to bring together multiple community arts and music collectives in the city and platform local talent next to national and internationally acclaimed artists,” say the organisers. “To put on a new kind of event in Sheffield and to add something to the cultural offer of the city we all love so much.”

The festival will be the first ever ticketed music event held at Western Park

The festival is also a charity fundraiser for a cause that is very dear to the hearts of those involved.

“One of the festival organisers was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Low Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer at the age of 26,” the team explain. “This is a severely under-researched and under-funded area of Cancer Research and so we wanted to use this opportunity to raise awareness and funds combined with providing Sheffield with a brand new music and arts festival, celebrating the city’s cultural offering to the UK’s music scene.

“If we can even make one person aware of this disease then it’s a positive outcome.”

Up to a thousand people will be able to experience this special and unique event in the heart of summer, which is the first of its kind ever to take place within the park’s lush green and immaculately kept grounds.

“To be given permission to put on the first ticketed event at the site feels like a huge privilege,” the team behind it say. “We’ve all wanted to see something happen in Weston Park for a while, as it’s one of the most beautiful spaces in the city.

“It’s framed by amazing architecture from the Museum on one side, the University on the other, and the amazing Victorian features dotted around it, including the iconic bandstand.”

Those in attendance will be able to enjoy three three stages showcasing many incredible live acts such as the dreamy sounds of Tony Kofi & Alina Bzhezhinska, and slick R&B artist Rumbi Tauro.

Jazz on the Park is not just a stellar new music and arts festival raising money for a good cause that combines local and international talent in a hugely unique setting but it’s also an embodiment of the community spirit that underpins the other events the organisers have been putting on in the city.

This event is the culmination of years of hard work that has been taking place in Sheffield by people who not only know how to throw killer parties and curate amazing music, but also offer meaningful community engagement and a sense of connection through culture.

“The aim for how the festival feels is definitely informed by the ethos of all of our respective projects,” they say. “Which is for it to feel comfortable and welcoming while also being engaging and ambitious. We’re so proud of the long list of people we’re working with on this. We’re confident it’s going to make the city proud.”

Jazz on the Park takes place on 15 June. For tickets and more info, head to Jazz on the Park’s socials @jazzontheparkfest.