From longtime fans to local vendors, the Texas Jazz Festival celebrates its 65th year with music, food and family traditions.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas Jazz Festival is celebrating 65 years of bringing live music, food and community to Corpus Christi, with three days of performances and activities at Heritage Park this weekend.
The festival kicked off Friday night, featuring 49 acts across three stages, along with more than 50 vendors selling food, drinks and other merchandise.
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Organizers say the festival offers something for everyone, even those who might not typically listen to jazz.
“It goes far beyond jazz because I like stuff that brings in the crowd, and we can bring in the crowd and have people listen to the music,” said Nick Martinez, president of the Texas Jazz Festival. “When they get in and they hear something familiar, what happens is they move into jazz.”
For longtime attendees like Cesar Flores and his wife, Sylvia, the festival has become a familiar tradition and an opportunity to experience different styles of music.
“People always talk about we don’t have anything to do. Well, there you have it,” Flores said. “You’ve got Latino jazz, you’ve got all kinds of things. So if you just are open to anything, you’re gonna find what you love out here. And if not, wait an hour or two. There’ll be somebody coming up out here.”
Vendors bring food, merchandise and family traditions
Beyond the music, vendors are another major part of the festival experience.
Attendees can find everything from aguas frescas and turkey legs to merchandise and blankets, which proved particularly timely as cooler temperatures moved into the Coastal Bend.
Judy Anderson, a first-time festival vendor selling blankets, said she didn’t anticipate just how popular they would become.
“It wasn’t pre-planned. We was selling the blankets and we put ’em out front because I thought it’d be a good time to use them because people were coming over here and feeling them because of the cold front,” Anderson said. “I didn’t think it’d be this cool.”
The festival also gave local businesses an opportunity to introduce themselves to new customers.
Ruben Hinojosa brought his jerky business, Mesquite Creek Jerky, which draws inspiration from a recipe passed down by his grandfather in Alice.
“My grandfather actually taught me this,” Hinojosa said. “He told me if I wanted to keep eating deer or keep shooting deer, I had to keep eating it, and the only way I really liked eating it was beef jerky or deer jerky.”
Hinojosa said the business continues to use his grandfather’s original recipe, which the family has trademarked under the name “The Mother of All Jerky.”
“We actually used his recipe to the day,” Hinojosa said. “We trademarked the name. We call it the Mother of All Jerky now, but it’s still his exact recipe.”
Festival remains free for everyone
Despite its growth over the decades, Martinez said one thing will not change: admission will remain free.
“We have it in our bylaws that we will never charge,” Martinez said. “The poorest man in the world to the richest man in the world can come to the jazz festival and enjoy it for no charge.”
The 65th annual Texas Jazz Festival continues Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. at Heritage Park in downtown Corpus Christi.
Saturday’s lineup also includes an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band.