By Rose Schneider

Six jazz groups will perform at the annual Riverfront Jazz Festival Labor Day weekend at Pfiffner Pioneer Park, 1100 Crosby Ave., Stevens Point.

The first Riverfront Jazz Festival, originally called Stevens Point Jazz Festival, in 2004 drew in approximately 2,000 attendees and showcased a variety of national touring jazz performers. Riverfront Jazz Festival event manager Jennifer Bellmer expects there to be 5,000 attendees this year.

“It’s really cool knowing our little town can support the arts like this,” Bellmer said.

The festival will run from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, and Sunday, Sept. 3. It is a scholarship fundraiser for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) jazz program. Despite being a large fundraiser for the music department, the event is free to the public. It brings in, on average, between $1,000 to $4,000 annually through sponsorships and donations from attendees.

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The Benny Golson Quartet performs at the Riverfront Jazz Festival in Pfiffner Pioneer Park last year. This year’s event will be Labor Day weekend. (Portage County Gazette photo)