The River Raisin Jazz Festival
The River Raisin Jazz Festival is a festival held every summer in Monroe, Michigan. The festival takes place during the second weekend in August each year on the banks of the historic River Raisin. This festival started in 2001 when the Monroe County Michigan Tourism Bureau decided that Monroe needed to promote the arts and tourism in Monroe County.
Notable Musicians
Many musicians come from all around America each year for the festival. Some of these legendary musicians have included:
- Chuck Mangione
- Rick Braun
- Peter White
- Nelson Rangell
- Spyro Gyra
- Stanley Jordan
- Pieces of a Dream
Festival
The River Raisin Jazz Festival brings AbOUT 40,000 visitors to Monroe each summer during the second weekend in August. The cost of admission is free and along with the jazz festival, there are also many other events that it brings along With It. Among these are the Annual Fine Arts Fair and the 2nd stage featuring other jazz musicians. This festival features many notable musicians each year. Also, there are several large sponsors that help put on the event. Sponsors include:
- La-Z-Boy
- Monroe Bank & Trust
- DTE Energy
- The Monroe Evening News
Future of the Festival
In the 8 years that this festival has been around, people from all over America have come to Monroe, Michigan to enjoy it. The River Raisin Jazz Festival has been called the fastest growing music festival in the Great Lakes Region. At the 9th Annual Jazz Festival in 2010, legendary saxophonist David Sanborn will perform. According to the President of the Monroe County Tourism Bureau, "It's the biggest name we've ever had, bar none."