Good times are rolling in Penticton at the 26th annual Pentastic Hot Jazz & Music Festival.
The Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, as well as the Elk's Club, are busy this weekend as they host renowned acts from across North America until late Sunday afternoon, Sept. 8.
Michael Campbell, the longtime president of the festival, says the event is a continent-wide celebration of a love for music.
"I love to see the enthusiasm from our guests, who quite literally come from all over North America," Campbell said this week before the festival kicked off on Friday with New Orleans' Tom Hook & the Hounds.
Large crowds gathered inside the convention centre Friday evening to welcome back their favourite bands.
Roars and cheers from locals and visitors alike got the party started at 6 p.m., as band leaders from five of the weekend's acts got together for a special performance.
Among the favourites to return to Penticton this year was Tom Rigney and Flambeau, a high-energy act from the Bay Area of California. The group, along with Black Swan, Tom Hook & The Hounds, Dave Bennett Quartet and Professor Cunningham & His Old School played sets on their respective stages before Friday's opening ceremony.
Many of the festival's guests also appeared to not forget their dancing shoes.
Venue dancing floors 鈥� especially inside the "French Quarter" room inside the convention centre 鈥� were busy with fans living up to the festival's slogan: "Let the good times roll."
While all that was happening, Cornet Chop Suey, a longtime jazz band from St. Louis, was at Princess Margaret Secondary to treat students to a free concert. The outreach concert raised around $1,000 for the high school's band program, according to Campbell.
The three-day event typically draws around 1,5000 people, many of which travel hundreds of kilometres to make it.
Fans of the festival also get to vote and provide feedback to event organizers on which bands they would like to see return.
Although many of the weekend's bands hailed predominantly from the United States 鈥� including from jazz hubs like New Orleans and New York 鈥� there was also some local flavour, too.
South Okanagan Big Band made its return to the festival, playing at the convention centre at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
