Spend a little time scrolling through this year’s lineup and it’s easy to understand why The Atlanta Journal-Constitution deemed the Savannah Music Festival “one of the Southeast’s most creative cross-cultural musical events.” The two-and-a-half week series of concerts begins on Saturday night with the ecstatic and rich voice of 24-year-old jazz singer Samara Joy, while later in the week classical violist Philip Dukes’s ensemble will bring the music of Bach to life. But jazz and classical music are by no means the focus: world folk music also shares the center stage, including traditional Irish supergroup Dervish and Indian tabla (drum) player and composer Zakir Hussain’s Trio. Bands like Mighty Poplar expand the sound of traditional American folk music ways, while the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and Ricky Skaggs keep fast pickin’ fingers on the pulse of straight-up bluegrass. The festival has a pretty high concentration of Grammy winners per capita — and this includes Malian activist and singer Oumou Sangaré, whose other accolades include a UNESCO International Music Prize. It shouldn’t need to be said: this is a global star-studded lineup.
The music covers a wide geographic and cultural range, but luckily the Savannah Music Festival brings them all together in close contact. All of the performance venues are located within easy walking distance in downtown Savannah. And the festival has consistently nurtured the arts scene. Although Savannah Music Festival’s budget is nearly $4 million, a large chunk of revenue from the festival is donated back into the community, supporting arts education across Savannah with a host of both local and national outreach programs for young musicians.
Specs
- Over 30,000 people attend each year.
- Tickets are sold per performance. You can save by purchasing multiple tickets at one time: 3 for 10% off, 5 for 15% off, or 10 for 20% off. There are also discounts for students and educators, seniors, military, and groups of 10 or more.
- Check out the lineup and ticket prices here.
- Spend a little extra time in artsy and historic Savannah. And check out Fifty Grande’s guide to Georgia.
FAQs
Where is the Savannah Music Festival?
The festival is held in different venues around historic downtown Savannah, Georgia.
What is the closest airport to the Savannah Music Festival?
Fly into Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). Grab a rideshare to your accommodations.
How do I get from venue to venue?
Most are within easy walking distance from each other.
My kids love music! Can I bring them?
Short answer: yes. If the concert is family-friendly, kids 12 and younger can attend for free (though it’s difficult to tell from the website which events fall into this category). Children five and under all concerts for free with a paying adult (limit is two children per one adult ticket). They still need a ticket to enter the event, which you can only get in person at the Savannah Box Office (216 East Broughton Street) or the on-site box office on the day of the show.
Which artists are on the Savannah Music Festival 2024 lineup?
Samara Joy, Lena Jonsson Trio, Oumou Sangaré, Keiran Kane & Rayna Gellert, David Finckel, Wu Han, Marta Pereira da Costa feat. Duarte, Germán López: ALMA, Bayou Boogie! A Tribute to Clifton Chenier “The King of Zydeco” feat. C.J. Chenier, Marcia Ball & The Red Hot Louisiana Band, Futurebirds, T. Hardy Morris, Derek Gripper & Ballaké Sissoko, Dervish, Dubhe Ensemble feat. Joseph Conyers, Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet, Renée Fleming, Sebastian Knauer, TISRA: Zakir Hussain Trio with Debopriya Chatterjee and Sabir Khan, Warren Wolf & Wolfpack, Isaiah J. Thompson Duo & Quartet, Stephane Wrembel Quartet, Tatiana Eva-Marie & Avalon Jazz Band, Philip Dukes & Friends, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Ted Olson, Jack Lawrence, Wayne Henderson, Jack Hinshelwood, Dumpstaphunk, Cha Wa, Escher String Quartet, Tony Trischka, The Savoy Family Cajun Band, Orquesta Akokán, Michael Collins & Friends, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Kaia Kater, Viv & Riley, Brandee Younger Trio, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Bobby Rush with North Mississippi Allstars, Madison Cunningham, Juana Molina, Emanuel Ax, Matthew Whitaker, Mighty Poplar, Turtle Island Quartet, Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca.
Playlists
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