Burlington’s free outdoor jazz festival is coming back bigger than ever this summer. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre (BPAC) will host 10 free performances over three days in August as part of its 15th anniversary season. The Jazz on the Plaza festival runs from August 7 to 9 at BPAC’s outdoor plaza on Locust Street in downtown Burlington, Ontario.
This year’s lineup is the largest yet and features a mix of award-winning Canadian artists. 2026 Grammy nominee and JUNO Award winner Laila Biali will perform, along with JUNO winner Kellylee Evans and the high-energy Toronto brass band Big Smoke Brass. The lineup also includes Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz, a Toronto group that blends African rhythms with American jazz traditions.
“Jazz on the Plaza is one of BPAC’s signature community access initiatives, reflecting our belief that the performing arts should be accessible to everyone,” said Sara Palmieri, BPAC’s executive director. The festival’s presenting sponsor is Carrie Hughes, a financial advisor at Edward Jones, with additional support from local businesses and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The outdoor plaza has limited seating, so guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs. The venue is at the corner of Elgin and Locust streets, right in the heart of downtown Burlington. The free shows are part of a busy year for BPAC, which saw a record of more than 95,000 visitors in 2025.
