City Park comes alive with the sultry strains of jazz music every summer with City Park Jazz, which lasts for 10 weeks. From June through August, the park hosts free jazz concerts every Sunday from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. in Denver. Many concertgoers arrive early, toting picnic dinners or Frisbees. The concerts are held at the bandstand near Ferril Lake. Parking gets crowded near the concert venue, but bike parking is also available at the free bike corral in the City Park Pavilion.

"We’re really excited about this year’s slate of amazing performers," said  Bob Nelson, president of the City Park Jazz Board of Directors, in a statement. "We open with longtime Denver favorite Selina Albright, we have a very funky newcomer to our stage in The Messers and we’re closing out with the Sammy Mayfield Revue. We’ve got a great, eclectic and culturally diverse mix of bands sprinkled in between."

The concerts were marred by violence in 2012 when a Denver police officer was shot and killed. However, the City & County of Denver continued the concert series, which began in 1986 as a way to revitalize one of Denver's oldest parks. Concerts are held rain or shine.

More: Photos of City Park Jazz

 

• Selina Albright
  Date: Sunday, June 7, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Annie Booth Quartet
  Date: Sunday, June 14, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Nelson Rangell
  Date: Sunday, June 21, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Paa Kow Band
  Date: Sunday, June 28, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• The Messers
  Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m.
   
  

• Eric Trujillo and the Mambotet
  Date: Sunday, July 12, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts
  Date: Sunday, July 19, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Lynn Baker Quartet
  Date: Sunday, July 26, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• Ellyn Rucker Trio
  Date: Sunday, August 2, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
   
  
• The Sam Mayfield Blues Revue
  Date: Sunday, August 9, 2015
  Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

 

Looking for other free events in the Mile High City? Check out Top 10 Free Denver Activities. If you want to make a day of it in the neighborhood, visit Things to Do in City Park Neighborhood. City Park is located between East 17th Avenue and East 23rd Avenue, bounded by York Street to the west and Colorado Boulevard to the east. The park is also home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Nina Snyder is the author of "Good Day, Broncos," a children's e-book, and "ABCs of Balls," a children's picture book. Visit her website at ninasnyder.com.