Two annual events in Fredericton, New Brunswick, will mark significant anniversaries in 2020, as the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival turns 30 and the New Brunswick Spirits Festival celebrates its 25th year.
“Fredericton has several world-class festivals, including the biggest jazz and blues event east of Montréal and the oldest whisky and spirits festival in Canada,” says Mary Ellen Hudson of the Tourism Fredericton.
Set for Sept. 15–20, Harvest features a range of musical styles, from gritty acoustic and electric blues to traditional and progressive jazz. Patrons also will see soul, zydeco, and rock acts sprinkled in—Robert Plant headlined in 2019—among the list of international, Canadian, and local performers. More than 25 venues spread over six blocks in downtown Fredericton host the variety of concerts during the weeklong event.
Nearly 200 of the world’s finest spirits will be featured at the New Brunswick Spirits Festival, which will take place Nov. 17–20. Attendees can sample single-malt whiskies, scotches, cognacs, rums, gins, and liqueurs, and hear from leading authorities at special tasting and appreciation sessions. Additionally, there will be pairing dinners, master classes, and an on-site vendor area. Frank Scott, the festival’s founder and a whisky enthusiast, co-owns Fredericton’s popular Lunar Rogue pub, which has a menu of nearly 800 types of spirits.
For more information, email Hudson or go to tourismfredericton.ca.
Top photo: Nathaniel Rateliff at the 2019 Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
Photo by Tourism Fredericton
