History:

Litchfield Jazz Festival was launched in 1996 with a line-up any well-established festival would have been proud of.  Litchfield Performing Arts had for many years presented a classical series which it salted with dance and theater and jazz.  The jazz performances featured, among others, Marian McPartland and Tony Bennett. People responded so well to our toe-in-the-water, we decided on a jazz cabaret series the following year. Dick Hyman, the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Steve Kuhn (with Lewis Nash) and the late Lou Stein all performed and wowed the audience. So, what next?

Destiny depends on two things: geography and timing.  Well, we had the geography: Litchfield County in the summer time was the second most popular destination for Metro visitors.  And we had the timing.  The Connecticut Commission on the Arts had just announced a small grant for local groups getting together on efforts to benefit both the organizations and the community.  So, we partnered with White Memorial Foundation and planned our first jazz festival for the summer of 1996.