The Great Bend Jazz Festival takes place Saturday night with the 25th Anniversary Concert at the Barton Community College Fine Arts Auditorium. Great Bend resident Robert Feldt says the idea for an annual jazz event started with conversations between local musicians and jazz enthusiasts 25 years ago which led to the event taking place every year in Great Bend.

Robert Feldt Audio

This year the festival headliner is Karrin Allyson, who was born in Great Bend in 1963, as the daughter of a Lutheran minister. The family moved when she was a young girl as she went on to study classical music and began writing songs. She came back to perform in Great Bend 17 years ago and according to Feldt, has made quite a career for herself.

Robert Feldt Audio

But instead, tickets for Saturday night’s Jazz Festival are only $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and will be available at the door to enjoy the music of Karrin Allyson, who has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. There will also be performances by several local musicians.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.