Festival music director Harvey Maguire said the festival had humble beginnings 30 years ago, when he and a group of dedicated musicians got together in the "Cellar Inn" of the now defunct O'Connells Hotel over a Labour Weekend.
Back then, the festival consisted of two days of music. Now it runs for nine days and boasts more than 200 musicians from around New Zealand and the world.
These days, it also incorporates a wide variety of music.
"Now, we aim to encourage, involve, entertain and inspire with a range of performances from superbly talented musicians representing a variety of jazz-influenced styles," he said.
This year there are 80 events - both ticketed and free - including roving entertainment around the district, with the headline concerts to be held in "God's Amphitheatre".
The star-studded line up includes a long list of Kiwi favourites - Tim Beveridge and the Candy Lane Dancers, singer-songwriter Anika Moa, violin virtuoso Fiona Pears, the Frank Gibson Quartet and jazz fusion group Subject2Change.
"For the purists there are plenty of traditional jazz performances," Mr Maguire said.
"But for our younger audience we've grown and evolved events like the Groove Beatz Dance Party, featuring Lewis McCallum and New Zealand's leading DJ, Chris Cox.
"If it's anything like last year, it will go off."
One of the festival's highlights is the AJ Hackett Bungy JumpStart competition, open to anyone aged between 14 and 20.
The finalists will be selected from an audition round via DVD or web upload submissions to give a live performance in front of a judging panel and audience in Queenstown on October 19.
The competition gives talented young musicians from around the country the chance to gain exposure, helping to "kickstart their careers".
Throughout JazzFest, free daily performances will be held on the Village Green in central Queenstown.
Free gigs will be held throughout the district at hotels, bars and restaurants, culminating in Jazz in the Vines performances in Gibbston Valley winery on the final afternoon.
