Now in its 16th year, the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will fill the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh with beautiful music and jazz fans from all over the world.

The festival will be held from Sept. 17 to 20, including live music, delicious food, outdoor fun and, of course, some of the greatest musicians that the genre has to offer.

“We always work really hard to put on a really great program and enjoy every minute of it,” said Janis Burley, president, CEO and artistic director of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, and director and founder of the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.

This year’s theme is “Our America250,” and it will explore the way that uniquely American musical genres such as soul, rock, R&B and others have amplified the legacy and stories told by jazz music.

This has been an ongoing project not reserved for the four days of the festival, according to Burley.

“We started off with concerts in the community, to really take the festival to neighborhoods around the city,” she said.

That included concerts in Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branches and in parks. During the week of the festival, they will have musicians performing at the Pittsburgh International Airport, on both the land and air sides.

“So when you go to get your bags, there’s a pianist that will be playing, and then when you’re landing and you’re walking through the airport, there’s some great music on the air side,” Burley said.

They’ll also have the Jazz Train, a partnership with Amtrak, which will bring musicians from New York City to Pittsburgh with jam sessions along the way.

The festival will start in earnest on Friday, Sept. 18, with a sold-out concert with popular jazz vocalist Samara Joy, and then the opening night party, A Taste of Jazz.

“It’s a feast of music and food,” Burley said. “We’re working with close to 20 restaurants.”

The party will also feature visual art and will be scored by the music of Anyah Nancy, Roger Humphries and local DJ Selecta.

“People can dance and they can kick back,” Burley said.

Saturday and Sunday will find the festival bringing music to the streets of Downtown Pittsburgh, closing down Liberty Avenue and filling the air with an assortment of acclaimed artists.

“It’s always in front of the August Wilson Center so you can see our beautiful building,” Burley said, “and we have music from noon to 9 o’clock each night.”

Among the wide variety of musicians will be a celebration of legendary jazz drummer Bernard Purdie. The festival has convened an all-star band of Pittsburgh musicians to play with the 98-year-old, who Burley said can still drum with as much power and passion as ever.

“He’s known for drumming with groups like Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Donnie Hathaway. … He was a session drummer who played on 4,000 different albums,” Burley said.

The festival is open to the public. Burley can’t wait to see some of the returning faces she’s begun to see every year from Pittsburgh and beyond.

“It’s a celebration, and I’m looking forward to the people enjoying the music together and loving their time in Pittsburgh,” Burley said.

The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will be held from Sept. 17 to 20. To learn more about the variety of events, visit pittsburghjazzfest.org.