Another great free event in Connecticut for jazz lovers, the New Haven Jazz Festival takes place over two consecutive Saturdays in August and features some of the finest talent in New England as well as up-and-coming young musicians from the area. The festival takes place on the historic downtown New Haven Green as a part of the city’s summer Music on the Green series. Everyone from straight ahead jazz quartets to large Latin ensembles take the stage at the festival and you can’t beat free.