Carnival of Soul

SILVER SPRING, MD — On Saturday, the streets of downtown Silver Spring will once again come alive with music and dance for the Silver Spring Jazz Festival.

Back for its 16th year, the Silver Spring Jazz Festival will take place across two stages at Veterans Plaza. The free event will kick off at 3 p.m. and feature a jam-packed lineup of regionally renowned jazz artists and ensembles.

Jazz legend Arturo Sandoval is this year’s headliner. The musician won four Grammy Awards, six Billboard Awards, and an Emmy Award for his work on the HBO movie based on his life, “For Love or Country,” according to Silver Spring officials. He also recently shared the stage with Justin Timberlake at the Grammy Awards and Alicia Keys at the Latin Billboard Awards.

Silver Spring Jazz Festival Lineup

The schedule is as follows:

• 3:30 p.m. Collaboration
• 4:15 p.m. Eric Byrd Trio
• 5:00 p.m. Paul Carr and the Real Jazz Ambassadors
• 6:00 p.m. Lena Seikaly
• 7:00 p.m. Marcus Johnson and the Urban Jam Band
• 8:30 p.m. Arturo Sandoval

Getting to the Festival

There are lots of ways to get to the free event. Here’s what Silver Spring officials say:

• Bus – WMATA or Ride-On bus have multiple options.
• Metro Red Line – is three blocks away. The *FREE* VanGo Downtown Silver Spring Circulator stops at the SilverSpring Metro Station and circles around to Veterans Plaza within 10 minutes.
• Ride Share – Lyft, Uber, or similar can drop you at the parking lot at the southeast corner of Colesville and Georgia. The walkway through Ellsworth Pedestrian mall provides access to Veterans Plaza.
• Bicycle – There are plenty of bike racks throughout downtown. It is best to leave the bikes a couple of blocks from Veterans Plaza.
• If you must drive – parking is available in one of the free parking garages in the periphery of the core of downtown on Cameron Street, Thayer Avenue and Dixon Avenue.

Road Closures

• Fenton Street between Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue.
• Ellsworth between Georgia Ave. and Cedar Street (the garage is accessible).
• Veterans Place and Roeder Road.

Inclement Weather

The event will happen, rain or shine. But, if the weather conditions become dangerous, an announcement will be make through Montgomery County’s public information channels.

Food and Drink

There are plenty of places to eat and drink around Veterans Plaza. Many eateries will stay open after the show. .

What to Bring

Attendees are allowed to bring lawn chairs to the event. They’re also encouraged to bring blankets, water bottles, hats, and sunscreen. Avoid bring coolers and pets (except for service animals).

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