Fort Langley – The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival wrapped up another successful year, welcoming thousands of music lovers, families, artists and visitors to the picturesque village over four days of live performances, arts experiences and cultural celebration. Festival organizers extend their heartfelt gratitude to audiences, volunteers, sponsors, artists and the Fort Langley community whose enthusiasm and support helped make the ninth edition of the festival a success.
Festival highlights included the premiere of a new composition written exclusively for the festival by acclaimed composer Daniel Hersog, a sold-out Passion of Amy Winehouse tribute concert that had audiences dancing in front of the stage, the expanded two-night Lorval Developments Cool Blues Show, and a stunning closing performance by Juno award-winning and Grammy-nominated vocalist Laila Biali with next-gen artists. The festival also showcased two days of free music on two outdoor stages, including the Youth & Emerging Artists Stage presented by the Tony Quo Vadis Foundation, while reinforcing its commitment to Canadian talent on the Community Hall main stage.
“Thank you to everyone who made the 2026 Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival spectacular! What an incredible four days of music, art, culture and community,” said Dave Quinn, Artistic Director of the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival. “Every performer, artist, volunteer, crew member, sponsor, vendor and festival-goer helped make the 2026 Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival a memorable experience.”
While this year’s Festival demonstrated the community’s appetite for world-class music, art and culture programming, it also highlighted the growing financial pressures facing festivals across British Columbia. Despite generating an estimated $1.5 million in economic impact for the region each year, rising security costs, increasingly complex event planning requirements, limited government funding, and growing competition for sponsorship dollars are making it more difficult to sustain the two full days of free programming that have become a hallmark of the festival and are central to its commitment to accessibility.
To help protect and sustain its free community programming and lay the groundwork for its 10th anniversary, the festival is launching a community fundraising campaign that invites residents, businesses, and supporters to invest in the festival’s future. Funds raised through the 10 Years of Music: Securing Accessible Programming for the Future campaign will help protect the festival’s free programming, support artists, and ensure audiences of all ages can continue to experience high-quality music, arts, and cultural events in the heart of Fort Langley. You can visit www.fortlangleyjazzfest.com/donate to make a donation as part of this campaign. As part of this fundraising effort, the festival will also announce a special blues benefit concert to be held this fall.
“For nearly a decade, we’ve been committed to ensuring everyone can experience great music and arts programming, regardless of their ability to purchase a ticket,” said Karen Zukas, Executive Director of the festival. “This campaign is about the community coming together to help maintain that accessibility and ensure future generations of music lovers and artists can continue to enjoy the festival and make lasting memories.
“Every gift helps us reach further, dream bigger and share extraordinary music, art and culture with thousands of people each year. We are deeply grateful for the generosity and belief in what we do.”
The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival returns to historic Fort Langley July 22-25, 2027, for its milestone 10th anniversary celebration.
