Long Beach prepares to celebrate 15 years of Uptown Jazz Festival with music, food, and family fun in North Long Beach

The free community event has become a long-standing tradition, bringing together families, neighbors, and visitors for an afternoon filled with live music, local food, community activities, and entertainment. Organizers say this year’s milestone celebration will once again showcase the diversity and culture that define North Long Beach while offering something for people of all ages.

“For 15 years, the Uptown Jazz Festival has showcased the very best of Long Beach, bringing together neighbors, families and visitors through the universal language of music,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “As we celebrate this milestone year, we’re excited to welcome an outstanding lineup of artists for an afternoon that reflects the culture, creativity and community spirit that make our city so special.”

Festivalgoers can enjoy food and beverages available for purchase throughout the event, along with a dedicated Kids Zone, vendor booths, and community resource displays that provide information about local organizations and services.

Music lineup features legendary performers and local favorites

This year’s entertainment schedule includes a variety of musical styles ranging from jazz and funk to soul and Latin music.

Leading the lineup is Morris Day & The Time, the legendary group that helped define the Minneapolis music scene during the 1980s. Morris Day first attended school with Prince Rogers Nelson, later performing in Prince’s original band, Grand Central. Prince eventually selected his longtime friend to lead The Time, a group created to deliver a stylish, energetic funk sound that contrasted with Prince’s own musical style.

The band gained national recognition through its appearance in the movie “Purple Rain,” while releasing popular songs including “Get It Up,” “Cool,” “Girl,” “777-9311,” “Wild and Loose,” “Walk,” “Gigolos Get Lonely Too,” and “Jungle Love.” After his success with the group, Day launched a solo career with albums including “The Color of Success,” “Daydreaming,” and “Guaranteed.” Combined sales of his solo recordings and albums with The Time have exceeded 10 million copies.

The festival will also welcome Rush Hour Orquesta, a Los Angeles salsa band founded by childhood friends Raul Membreno and Jonathan Patterson. The group is known for blending traditional salsa with modern influences, energetic percussion, brass arrangements, and performances that encourage audiences to dance.

Another featured act, Biscuits & Gravy Live, brings together musicians from Long Beach, Compton, Watts, and Carson. The Southern California group performs classic R&B, soul, funk, and Motown, earning a strong reputation through appearances at festivals and community celebrations across the region.

Festival attendees will also hear La Verdad, a band led by Gabrielito Gonzalez, a former member of Quetzal. For more than ten years, the group has mixed salsa, jazz, funk, and musical influences from across the Latino community while highlighting themes of culture, heritage, and identity through its performances.

Keeping the excitement going throughout the afternoon will be DJ Mr. Quick, also known as DaShaun E. Quick. As founder of Q-20 Entertainment, he will serve as both the official host and DJ, filling the time between performances with a mix of R&B, funk, soul, hip-hop, and current hits.

Celebrating a milestone tradition

Ninth District Councilmember Dr. Joni Ricks-Oddie reflected on how the festival has grown since it first began 15 years ago.

“Fifteen years ago, the Uptown Jazz Festival began with a vision to create a signature event that celebrates the people, culture and music that make North Long Beach extraordinary,” she said. “Today, that vision has grown into one of our city’s most anticipated community traditions, and I’m especially proud that, 15 years later, it remains completely free and open to everyone. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we’re raising the bar with the legendary Morris Day & The Time headlining a lineup that honors the rich traditions of jazz, funk, soul and Latin music. The Uptown Jazz Festival is more than a concert—it’s an investment in our community, our local businesses and the shared experiences that bring us together year after year. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Uptown for our biggest celebration yet.”

The event receives support from several Long Beach City Council offices, including Districts 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, along with numerous community organizations and sponsors such as the Port of Long Beach, Marathon Petroleum, Southern California Edison, AES Corporation, SEIU Local 721, LiUNA Local 1309, IBEW Local 47, the Water Replenishment District, Long Beach City College, the Apartment Association, Inc., The Sumer and Temple King Trust, Amusement Industry, Inc. (Westland Real Estate Group), Supervisor Janice Hahn, Bulletin Displays, Pedal Movement, and Republic Services.

City officials also reminded the public that the Uptown Jazz Festival is a separate event from the Long Beach Jazz Festival. As the celebration marks its 15th anniversary, organizers hope another large crowd will gather at Houghton Park to enjoy an afternoon of music, food, entertainment, and community spirit.