For most of its 10 years, from 2011 to 2019, Merrickville’s Jazz Fest (MJF) proudly presented its “little gem of a festival” to enthusiastic audiences from the Village and nearby communities as well as from Ottawa and further out-of-town. For a lot of people, this was their first visit to Merrickville, and many of them happily returned every year to enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the Village and the varied program of music. MJF was committed to presenting an almost exclusively jazz program that featured excellent concerts by up-and-coming and established Canadian artists from Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City as well as by some favourite local musicians. Entirely volunteer-run, and financed by ticket sales, donations and sponsorships, MJF eventually grew to become a respected and well-attended event that put Merrickville on the jazz festival map.
Although the pandemic and other circumstances led to the closing of MJF following the 10th Anniversary virtual presentation in 2020, a small group of MJF volunteer organizers were pleased to present Jazz In Merrickville, a formal farewell to our beloved festival, and a thank you to its many supporters — especially our dedicated volunteers, and our audiences and artists.