The Potomac Jazz & Seafood Festival, one of the mid-Atlantic’s signature jazz events held along the shores of the beautiful Potomac River and in the charming Town of Leonardtown in St. Mary’s County, Maryland, will feature fantastic jazz artists and related events during the three-day jazz weekend in 2022.
This popular annual festival, which has become known in the past two decades for showcasing local culinary delicacies of Maryland’s Mother County and renowned national jazz talent, will feature three days of jazz fun. The Maryland Office of Tourism recognized the 20th anniversary festival in 2019 with the “Maximizing Opportunities Award” – the only event in Maryland to receive such distinction.
On Friday, July 8, 2022, the festivities kick-off with a welcome reception at the Inn at Leonardtown with live music, drinks and light fare in the early afternoon. Participants are encouraged to dine and shop around Leonardtown at shops and restaurants that will be in on the jazz fun, some of which will have live jazz music. The night’s highlight will be a free concert on the Square at 6 p.m. featuring the internationally renowned Eric Byrd Trio. The night will be capped off with an exclusive ticketed event, the brand-new All White Attire Summer Soiree hosted at The Rex at 9:30 p.m.
On Saturday, July 9, 2022, is the main event on the grounds of St. Clement’s Island Museum along the scenic Potomac River in Colton’s Point, 20 short minutes from Leonardtown. This year will feature four amazing acts. Opening the day at 12 p.m. will be the incredible Howard University Jazz Quartet. Then, the music continues at 2:30 p.m. with local favorite Latrice Carr followed by the always-fantastic Brian Simpson at 5 p.m. Finally, our day ends with nationally acclaimed jazz artist Kim Waters at 7 p.m. A plethora of food vendors offering a wide variety of seafood and other Southern Maryland fare will be available throughout the day as well as other jazzy vendors – a new addition. Free water taxi rides around picturesque St. Clement’s Island, the first landing of English settlers in Maryland in 1634, will be offered to all eventgoers and free admission to the museum.
Special items commemorating the Festival, including the ever-popular music poster with this year’s design, will be on sale. The party continues back in Leonardtown with a no-cover afterparty at Brudergarten at 10 p.m. featuring DJ Leggzz and sponsored by Shepherd’s Old Field Market.
Then, on Sunday, July 10, 2022, businesses in Leonardtown will once again be the host of various jazz-themed activities and live music, including jazz brunches at several in-town restaurants, jazz events at Port of Leonardtown Winery and lots of other locations, and much more. Exclusive ticketed jazz cruises on Breton Bay will also be offered Friday and Sunday.
Various tickets for Saturday, as well as tickets for Jazz Cruises and the All-White Attire Summer Soiree, plus discount hotel packages are now available on the festival’s website, www.PotomacJazzandSeafoodFestival.com. There, those interested can find more information about everything happening that weekend. The public is encouraged to check the website and Facebook page often as new information is being updated weekly.
Visitors from out of town are encouraged to stay the entire weekend to enjoy all the festivities by purchasing special discount festival hotel packages, including such amenities as hotel room stays, festival tickets, and more. Visit the website to purchase.
Proceeds from this event go toward funding the nonprofit Friends of St. Clement’s Island & Piney Point Museums’ mission of supporting the museums and historic sites under the care of the St. Mary’s County Museum Division. The event’s major partners include the Friends of St. Clement’s Island & Piney Point Museums, St. Mary’s County Museum Division, the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, and many Leonardtown businesses. For more information regarding the festival, to see promo videos, or to purchase tickets or packages, please visit www.PotomacJazzandSeafoodFestival.com.
