(June 1-10, 2012) A ten-day celebration of jazz in the middle of a picturesque wine town: who could ask for more? Renowned for its dedication to quality and soul, Healdsburg Jazz Festival has grown exponentially since it began in 1999. Thanks to grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the once struggling festival is back on its feet and bringing bigger and better artists to its stages than ever before. Notable names who’ve passed through Healdsburg for a little jazz excursion include pianists McCoy Tyner and Cedar Walton and saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Concerts take place all over the town, many at outdoor venues, and tickets are often quite affordable. Many events are general admission (especially the outdoor concerts), so if you plan on attending more than one of these and like the programs HJF puts on, we recommend membership. Several membership levels include early entrance to general admission events. (MS)

Healdsburg Jazz Festival Information

• Public Transportation: Varies by venues
• Handicapped Accessibility: Depends on venue, but generally good
• Performances/Programs: 10–15 performances per season
• Ticket Prices:$5–$25
• Membership: Fan ($35); Friend ($50); Supporter ($100); Partner ($250); Advocate ($500); Angel ($1,000). Depending on level, member benefits include specially created downloadable music samples; invitations to special HJF events; free CD’s; early entrance to HJF general admission events; a one-year subscription to DownBeat magazine; and more.