Festival Events
Great music and fun all weekend long. The following regular events will be happening during the festival. Make sure you check our Special Evening Event section for headliner events.
Thursday - May 9, 2019
A Taste of Main Street
Friday - May 10, 2019
A Taste of Main Street will be held on Thursday, April 5, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. throughout Downtown and Old Town Eureka. A Taste of Main Street offers a chance to sample food from 24 local participating restaurants and food producers. Following Taste of Main Street is the Kick Off Dance at the Adorni Center, just down the block. Taste of Main Street ticket book holders receive a discount on entry into the Kick Off Dance. For More information call - 707-442-9054
Thursday Night Kickoff Dance
The Hot Baked Goods with Clint Baker
When - Thursday May 9 - 7:30pm - 10:00 PM Venue - Adorni Center
Kick-off the festival weekend with this dance on Thursday night. We'll be featuring TWO sets by San Francisco's Hot Baked Goods - one of the best dance bands on the West Coast.
The Hot Baked Goods are a band of young jazz musicians playing hot tunes and dance music from the 20s and 30s. Most of the band members started as swing dancers, and became so infatuated with the music that they decided to make some themselves. Thus The Hot Baked Goods was founded in October 2012 guest appearances by Clint Baker and Sam Rocha.
A great way to start the Festival.
Included with all 4 day passes. $15.00 without all event pass
Experience Historic Old Town and Downtown Eureka!
One of the last preserved downtowns in California.
The center of commerce and culture since 1850.
When - Friday May 10, 1:30pm Venue - Adorni Center
Bands: Cornet Chop Suey
Cocuzzi Courtet with The Au Brothers
Join us for FREE opening ceremonies on Friday May 10 featuring some of the finest jazz musicians in the country. The long awaited return of jazz powerhouse Cornet Chop Suey kicks off the festival in full swing.
Opening Ceremonies - Free to the public
Saturday - May 11, 2019
Saturday Dance Contests
When - Saturday May 11, 2019 - 12:00am - 4:00pm
Venue - Municipal Auditorium
Warm up set and sign ups start at 12:00am
One of our most popular events! Warm-up set will be at 12:00am and the contests will go during two band sets. The contests are just part of the action and there will be an open dance floor in between. These swing dancers put on a show and you'll want to come catch the action. Bands performing for the contest will be Stompy Jones, Sam Rocha & His Really Cool Friends, and the Hot Baked Goods with Clint Baker. These are some of the favorite dance bands on the West Coast, so everyone will have a chance to show their best moves!
Sunday - May 12, 2019
When - Sunday May 12 - 3:30pm - 7:30pm Venue - Red Lion Hotel - Pacific Room
The first is at the popular Red Lion bar venue - The Pacific Room. With full menu service you are invited to order dinner and a cocktail and enjoy some great music. Kick it off with the Lone Gunmen followed by two jazz allstar jazz sets that can only be heard during this evening. Marc Caparone's Armstrong tribute and Doyle and Zimmerman's Hot 6 tribute to Walter Donaldson are jazz allstar sets.
Gino & The Lone Gunmen - 3:45pm
Marc Caparone's Armstrong Allstars - 5:00pm
Marc Caparone, Clint Baker, Dan Walton, Jeff Hamilton,
Dawn Lambeth, Jacob Zimmerman, Sam Rocha
Doyle & Zimmerman's Hot 6 - 6:15pm
Jonathan Doyle, Jacob Zimmerman, Charlie Halloran, Katy Cavera,
Hal Smith, Kris Tokarski
Festival After Parties
Our wind down party has been so successful the past few years that we have scheduled two of them this year.
Music Festival Grand Finale
When - Sunday May 12, 3:30 - 5:30 PM Venue - Municipal Auditorium
The grand finale is a two hour - 7 band - non stop party! Headliners from the festival join together to mix it up, play back-to-back, and jam in this rollicking show. The other venues shut down and everyone gathers at the Muni to bring the festival to a close.
Who knows which combinations will take the stage? You'll have to come out and see for yourself - there's no other event like it!
Appearing in 2019: Clint Baker's Jazz Band, On The Levee Jazz Band, Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang, Cornet Chop Suey, Stompy Jones, Tom Rigney & Flambeau and Gator Nation.
Sunday Morning Free Community Gospel & Concert
When - Sunday May 12, 2019 - 10:00am - 11:00am Venue - The Adorni Center
Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir
FREE community Gospel and Concert.
Sunday morning will be a free community event with the amazing gospel set of the full 60-voice Arcata Interfaith Gospel Choir (AIGC). Since 1992, the AIGC has been singing out its mission to inspire faith, hope, love, unity, and joy. The AIGC exemplifies the principles of equality, unity and cooperation through multi-faith and multiracial choir membership, and are a festival favorite.
When - Sunday May 12 - 6:15pm - 10:00pm Venue - The Eagle House Ballroom
The second after party is at our newest venut - The Historic Eagle House Ballroom. Order a cocktail at their bar - Phatsy Kline;s and finish off the festival with some great music and dancing. It kicks off with the Lone Gunmen doing double duty at our after parties this year- followed by two amazing dance bands - Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang and Dan Walton's Jump Swing Imperials with Brian Casserly
Gino & The Lone Gunmen - 6:15pm
Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang - 7:30pm
Dan Walton's Jump Swing Imperials with Brian Casserly - 8:45pm
