This weekend, Villa Rica Main Street will kick off their festival season the annual West Georgia Jazz Festival. The festival will take place from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Mill Amphitheater in downtown Villa Rica.
This year’s eclectic lineup will feature five bands—The Sofia Goodman Group, The Serenata Band, David Pippin and Martini Caliente, Southern Art Music Ensemble, and headliner The Three Stooges Band.
Opening the show will be The Sofia Goodman Group from Nashville, Tennessee. Some of their musical influences include the like of Herbie Hancock and Esperanza Spaulding. Led by drummer and composer, Sofia Goodman, the jazz-funk-fusion group has been described as “fun and fascinating.”
Following them will be The Seranata Band, a sextet group from Atlanta known for their infectious rhythmic variety includes Latin jazz, merengue, and other styles. Around 6:30 p.m., David Pippin and Martini Caliente from Carrollton, GA will grace the Thomas A. Dorsey stage, followed by the collective jazz rhythms of Southern Art Music Ensemble around 7:45 p.m.
Headling this year’s festival is The Stooges Brass Band out of New Orleans, LA. According to their website, they are considered one of the “elite brands in New Orleans.” Since 1996, the band has brought the spirit of The Big Easy at festivals both nationally and internationally, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Bonnaroo, South by Southwest, the Edinburgh Jazz Festival, and the Tremblant Blues Festival in Canada.
Admission to the West Georgia Jazz Festival is free. VIP seating is available for $5 per seat. For more information on the festival and future events, please visit www.downtownvillarica.com. Tickets to the West Georgia Jazz Festival can be purchased here.
