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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, August 5, 2016 | 34 John Bkila Editor jbkila@oakvillebeaver.com Downtown Oakville is all about the jazz Annual Jazz Festival launches tonight Residents will flip their lids with all the talent to be showcased at the TD Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival, which launches tonight (Friday). The 24th annual free event is hosted by the Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Area and runs from 5:30 p.m. to midnight tonight and continues tomorrow (Saturday) from 1 p.m. to midnight. There will be six free outdoor stages set up across Lakeshore Road East from Navy to Allan streets. Each night will showcase established and up-and-coming artists from all roots and branches of jazz, including acid, Latin, Dixieland, smooth, world music, ragtime, swing, blues, fusion, folk and more. Headlining this year's event are Hamilton's Juno award winner Harrison Kennedy (Friday, TD Centennial Stage from 10-11:30 p.m.); Quebec's Juno award winner Steve Hill (TD Towne Square Stage from 10:15-11:45 p.m.); Mississauga's Alex Pangman & Her Alleycats (Saturday, TD Centennial Stage from 10-11:30 p.m.); and acclaimed American banjo player and singer Cynthia Sayer (Saturday, TD Towne Square Stage from 8:30-10 p.m.). Festival-goers will want to keep an eye out for The Trio of Oz featuring Rachel Z and Omar Hakim (Friday, TD Towne Square Stage from 8-9:30 p.m.) and the Dan Brubeck Quartet (Saturday, TD Towne Square Stage from 10:30 p.m.-midnight), according to organizers. There will also be a floating stage thanks to CharterAbility, an Oakvillebased charity that provides an accessible boating experience for people with physical limitations or other personal circumstances. One boat will hold performers, while another will keep spectators afloat -- both will leave the Oakville Power Boat Club on Water Street and ride along Sixteen Mile Creek. Two-night event attracts large crowds The festival tends to attract large crowds and performers who can walk the downtown streets, enjoying live music, while exploring local shops and restaurants. The two-night event typically sees between 80,000-120,000 people when the weather co-operates, organizers said. Returning performers to this year's festival are Oakville singers Liz Loughrey (Saturday, TD Towne Square Stage from 7-8 p.m.) and 14-year-old Kathleen Kovacs, who will be performing at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Friday, and from noon4 p.m., 6 p.m. and again at 10 p.m., Saturday. There is limited parking downtown, but a free shuttle is being provided to festivalgoers from the Oakville GO Station, 214 Cross Ave. It departs every 15 minutes starting today at 5 p.m. and Saturday at noon. The last bus leaves downtown Oakville each night at Church and Dunn streets at midnight. There is also a free bike corral for cyclists. For more information, visit www. oakvillejazz.com. Artscene "Connected to your Community" The 24th annual TD Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival kicks off tonight (Friday) with free performances taking place on six outdoor stages. Headling this year's event are Hamilton's Juno award winner Harrison Kennedy (at left) and acclaimed American banjo player and singer Cynthia Sayer (at top). Kathleen Kovacs, 14 (above), is a returning performer to annual music festival. | submitted photos; photo at left, Hamilton Spectator file photo Tickets now available for Oakville Chamber Orchestra's 33rd concert season The Oakville Chamber Orchestra (OCO) is ready for its 33rd concert season and is inviting music lovers to enjoy four concerts. The 2016-17 season officially launches Sept. 25 with a concert featuring the prize winners of the 2015-16 Youth Concerto competition. In November, the OCO's Latin Passion concert will showcase some of the most famous melodies from Spain and Latin America, while the winter concert in March 2017, Celebrating Music in Oakville, will present local performers and composers to help celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary. The season ends in April 2017 with the grand-prize winners of the 2015-16 Youth Concerto competition featuring the talents of some of classical music's up-and-coming virtuosi. Subscription tickets for the fourconcert season cost $75 for adults, $60 for seniors and $50 for teens -- children aged 12 and younger are admitted free. Subscriptions can be purchased online (additional fees apply) at https://goo.gl/IejLMO or by mail (no additional fees apply). Visit https://goo.gl/g5SKbr to download and print a form to be mailed to Oakville Chamber Orchestra, PO Box 76036, 1500 Upper Middle Road West, Oakville, ON, L6M 3H5. The OCO has presented ensemble music in intimate settings featuring rare gems, favourite classics, and contemporary music for the past 32 years. Founded in 1984 as a group of amateur string players, the OCO has steadily grown in size, aspirations and quality, to become a favourite community orchestra among local residents. For more information, visit www.oakvillechamber.org.