LEONARDTOWN, Md. – A free concert featuring a nationally-renowned jazz group, an exclusive opening party where attendees dress in their best all-white attire, and a free opening reception to kick off the 22nd annual Potomac Jazz & Seafood Festival in a big way this July 8 in downtown Leonardtown.
As one of the mid-Atlantic’s signature jazz events, this three-day festival is held at two superb locations – along the shores of the beautiful Potomac River and in the charming Town of Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. The award-winning weekend features fantastic national jazz artists, amazing seafood and lots of related events July 8-10, 2022.
The Town of Leonardtown takes center stage as the kickoff locale for the festival Friday, July 8, 2022. Attendees can come to town early and enjoy a free welcome reception at the Inn at Leonardtown with live music, drinks and light fare from Quality Street Kitchen & Catering between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Participants are then encouraged to dine and shop around Leonardtown at stores and restaurants that will be in on the jazz fun, some of which will have live jazz music and more. The free trolley will be circulating town at various stops every 30 minutes so you can get around town easily without having to drive or find parking.
The night’s highlight will be a free concert on the Square at 6 p.m. featuring the internationally renowned Eric Byrd Trio. Bring your chair or blanket to sit on the lawn or grab outdoor seating while eating at one of the restaurants on the Square to enjoy the music. For 20 years, the Eric Byrd Trio has traveled the world as enthusiastic ambassadors of jazz. Rooted in swing and bebop, they also embrace gospel and the blues as core elements of their expansive performance style. Their body of work spans seven unique studio and live recordings on which they shine as a Trio and collaborators. On each recording, they take a rigorous, modern approach to standards and original compositions, playing with excellent acuity within the broad and rich jazz tradition. The concert ends at 9 p.m.
Finally, the opening night caps off with an exclusive ticketed event, the brand-new All White Attire Summer Soiree, hosted at The Rex at 9:30 p.m. Partygoers will come in all-white attire and join Wynne Briscoe, the official Jazz Ambassador, to dance the night away to live entertainment by 4 The Road Band and DJ Cisco T. Tickets include a delicious late-night buffet with freshly prepared appetizers and small bites from The Rex. Two cash bars will feature a full array of beverages. The dress code is formal “all-white attire,” with no athletic wear permitted. Attendees will experience an excellent night on the town in downtown Leonardtown with a new outdoor patio under the lights. Tickets are on sale at the website and are $60 per person. Those interested are encouraged to purchase as soon as possible; tickets are limited for this exclusive event.
Saturday will then feature the ticketed Main Event at St. Clement’s Island Museum with national and local jazz artists. Sunday will finish off the festival back in Leonardtown with jazz brunches, jazz cruises, music around town and more.
This annual festival has become known in the past two decades for showcasing local culinary delicacies of Maryland’s Mother County and renowned national jazz talent. It will feature three days of jazz fun. The Maryland Office of Tourism recognized the 20th anniversary festival in 2019 with the “Maximizing Opportunities Award” – the only event in Maryland to receive such distinction.
Various tickets for Saturday, as well as tickets for Jazz Cruises and the All-White Attire Summer Soiree, plus discount hotel packages, are now available on the festival’s website www.PotomacJazzandSeafoodFestival.com. There, those interested can find more information about everything happening that weekend. The public is encouraged to regularly check the website and Facebook page as new information is updated weekly.
Proceeds from this event go toward funding the nonprofit Friends of St. Clement’s Island & Piney Point Museums’ mission of supporting the museums and historic sites under the care of the St. Mary’s County Museum Division.
The event’s major partners include the Friends of St. Clement’s Island & Piney Point Museums, St. Mary’s County Museum Division, the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, and many Leonardtown businesses. For more information, please visit www.PotomacJazzandSeafoodFestival.com.