For ten days each summer, the city of Saskatoon bursts into song as the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival plays host to hundreds of world class artists. Thousands of music fans devour the sounds of jazz, blues, funk, pop, and world music each year, with a program that spans as many genres as it does continents.
The first festival took place in Saskatoon during the summer of 1987. Today it has become the second largest festival of its kind in Western Canada, and since 2009 has been named Best Festival in Planet S Magazine Best of Saskatoon reader’s poll. In 2023, the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival also won the Venue/Festival of the Year at the Saskatchewan Music Awards, and was named Best Place to Volunteer in the Arts Sector by Planet S Magazine’s Best of Saskatoon reader poll.