Pompano Beach Arts hit a milestone this past weekend: five years of Jazz Fest, and the Sapphire-themed 5th anniversary edition lived up to every bit of the build-up.
Held Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 on the sand just south of the iconic Fisher Family Pier, the festival ran from 1 PM to 10 PM both days, drawing thousands of attendees — locals and out-of-towners — to one of South Florida’s most relaxed-yet-world-class music settings. The decision to move the festival to April paid off: warm sun, gentle ocean breezes and that perfect coastal evening light made for a weekend that felt like a postcard.
Saturday’s headliners
Saturday’s main-stage lineup walked attendees through three eras of contemporary jazz:
- Kim Scott opened with elegant flute artistry that quieted the crowd within the first three minutes.
- Richard Elliot followed on saxophone — the GRAMMY-nominated tenor sax player has a way of leaning into a phrase that you can feel in your sternum.
- Brian Culbertson closed the night as Saturday’s headliner, layering jazz, R&B and funk with the kind of stage command that earns standing ovations halfway through the set.
The Local Talent Stage kicked off the day from 1 to 5 PM, featuring South Florida acts including Haley Cove and Garçon — a smart programming move that gave the local scene a real platform alongside the national headliners.
Sunday’s lineup
Sunday took the festival in a more eclectic direction:
- The Purple Project: Reimagining the Music of Prince, led by pianist Martin Bejerano, opened with stunning instrumental reworks of Prince’s catalog.
- Walter Beasley followed with smooth-jazz vocals and saxophone work.
- Ghost-Note — the Snarky Puppy spinoff led by Robert ‘Sput’ Searight and Nate Werth — closed the festival with a dance-heavy set that turned the sand into a percussion-driven block party.
What made this year different
This year’s move from late March to April hit the sweet spot. The lighting after sunset against the dunes was the kind of natural production design no festival can buy. The festival also leaned into the 5th anniversary milestone with sapphire-themed signage, branded swag and a noticeable bump in production polish.
If you missed it, dates for next year typically appear on the Pompano Beach Arts website by late fall. This is one to plan around.
Jazz Fest Pompano Beach is presented by Pompano Beach Arts and the Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department.
