Events Calendar

Rootabaga Jazz Festival: Area Jr and High School Jazz Bands, and Mar Vilaseca with the Cherry St Combo

May 07 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Galesburg Community Arts Center

$3/Free for Knox Students

This event is open to the public.

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Join the Rootabaga Jazz Festival for an evening of young talent!  

Featuring:

Galesburg Junior High Big Band (Joanna Sieczka, Director)
Canton High School Big Band (Bethany Herink, Director)
ROWVA High School Big Band (Wes Anderson, Director)
Jammers Big Band (Jeff Davis, Director)

Mar Vilaseca with the Cherry St Combo (Andy Crawford, Director)
Jude Reed ’27 – Bass | St. Louis, Missouri
Chris Regiacorte ’25 – Trumpet | Groveland, Florida
Ian Catanzaro ’26 – Drums | St. Louis, Missouri
Chieko Dunham ’25 – Vocals | Schaumburg, Illinois
Eddie Conversi ’27 – Trombone, Guitar | St. Louis, Missouri
Guy McEntarffer ’28 – Piano | Lincoln, Nebraska
Eileen Sheetz ’26 – Alto Saxophone | Peoria, Illinois

Galesburg Community Arts Center

6:00pm-10:00pm

Admission: $3

 

 

For over four decades,the Knox Rootabaga Jazz Festival, or “‘Baga” as it’s known to fans, has been a true celebration and affirmation of the unique spirit of the Galesburg community— a “small'' community that has achieved the rare accomplishment of sustaining and growing an annual jazz festival of national renown. The festival reflects a unique collaboration between schools, businesses, and the Galesburg community. The greatest jazz artists from around the world have graced the stages of Rootabaga.   Schedule, tickets and donation information is available at www.knox.edu/jazzyear.

 

Complete Schedule

Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival

May 6-10, 2025

Galesburg IL

www.knox.edu/jazzyear

 

May 6, 2025

The Mar Vilaseca Quartet School Tour group

United HS

7:00p.m.

Free and open to the public

 

The Mar Vilaseca Quartet featuring Derel Monteith, Jason Brannon and Andy Crawford will perform a concert as part of the Rootabaga Jazz School Tour. On Tuesday, May 6th and Wednesday, May 7th, the group will tour six area schools performing for elementary, junior high, and high school students.

 

May 7, 2025

Galesburg Junior High Big Band

Canton High School Big Band

ROWVA High School Big Band

Jammers Big Band

Cherry St Combo with guest Mar Vilaseca

Galesburg Community Arts Center 

6:00p.m.-10:00p.m.

Admission: $3, Knox Students free with ID

Tickets will be purchased at the door

 

May 8, 2025

Faculty and Friends Combo with guest Mar Vilaseca

Galesburg Community Arts Center 

7:00p.m.-10:00p.m.

Admission: $5, Knox Students free with ID

Tickets will be purchased at the door

 

The Faculty and Friends performance features Knox's accomplished jazz faculty and local jazz musicians from the vibrant live music community of central Illinois.

 

May 9, 2025

Galesburg High School Big Bands

6:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

 

Juan Pastor's Chinchano

2 sets 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Knox Alumni Big Band 

8 p.m.- 9 p.m.

 

Galesburg Community Arts Center

Admission: $10/Knox Students free with ID

Tickets will be purchased at the door

 

May 10, 2025

Rootabaga Kids: Juan Pastor's Chinchano

Galesburg Public Library

10:00a.m.

Free and open to the public

This free family friendly event promises to be a very engaging and entertaining experience for the whole family.

May 10, 2025

DC & the Love featuring Greg Ward and Mar Vilaseca

and the Knox Jazz Ensemble 

Orpheum Theatre, 57 S. Kellogg St., Galesburg

7 p.m.

Free Admission to all thanks to the generosity of NAEIR.