More than 150 artists will entertain in free and ticketed concerts in Queenstown, Frankton and Arrowtown bars, restaurants and public spaces for the 34th year from tonight until Sunday.
Queenstown JazzFest artistic director Jason Thornton this week said he was excited to see the New Orleans-style street parade planned for tomorrow.
The inaugural parade is set to feature Wakatipu High School and James Hargest College music pupils, joining forces with visiting jazz professionals, jugglers, dancers, unicyclists and more, to begin in the Queenstown Gardens between 11.30am and 11.45am and follow the lakefront to entertain in Earnslaw Park.
"You name it, a cast of thousands and it should be quite the spectacle," Dr Thornton said.
Prolific Auckland-born jazz man Tim Hopkins is one to watch while here for JazzFest.
The Wellingtonian trio leader has performed in many jazz festivals, and his latest CD was nominated for album of the year at the 2012 Tui awards.
"He's a wonderful saxophone player with an incredible band behind him," Dr Thornton said.
"For me, personally, it's a coup because we go back a long way and I haven't seen him for a long time.
"He's one of those world-class musicians whom I don't think New Zealand realises is on its doorstep."
All the way from Thailand, contemporary trio Outdraw with saxophonist Jimmy Whelan play Skyline restaurant tomorrow at 6.30pm, then the Queenstown Gardens on Sunday at noon and Pog Mahone's Irish Pub at 2pm.
"A good friend of mine moved to Thailand a few years ago and fell into the North Gate Jazz Co-Op, a venue in Chiang Mai," Dr Thornton said.
"He's been raving about these guys forever, who are all studied musicians who have toured with all sorts of Thai artists and played with all the visiting ex-pats who come through town.
"I shot off a letter endorsing them to the Thai Government and they sponsored them to come out."
Swedish-born jazz chanteuse Linn Wikman adds Queenstown JazzFest to her long list of jazz performance credits in Sydney, including the Basement, Soup Plus, and the Sydney Opera House.
A New Zealander, a Pole, an Australian and her Swedish partner collaborate at Remarkables Park Town Centre tomorrow at noon, then Skyline on Sunday at 11.30am, and Barmuda at 9pm.
"An incredible international band there," Dr Thornton said.
The Moving Picture Show returns to the Queenstown Village Green on Friday and Saturday at 8.30pm.
"It's three silent movies per night with a jazz orchestra providing the live soundtrack," he said.
Dr Thornton holds a doctorate in music and lectures at the Southern Institute of Technology, having arrived in Queenstown from his native Australia last year.
Through the years, he has either taught music in universities or performed worldwide with artists such as Frank Sinatra, "always the consummate professional, always the gentleman", Shirley Bassey, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, Cher, the Troggs and many more.
He said he was lucky enough to have a modern international flavour in his band and special guests, with fellow musos from across the Tasman and Canada.
He was looking forward to playing "some serious jazz" when the Jason Thornton Quartet entertains in the Queenstown Gardens tomorrow at 1pm, and then Buckingham Green, in Arrowtown, on Sunday at noon.
