By Emily Cole, Diana Olivares, and Crismat Mateo

Bakersfield’s 28th annual Jazz Festival opened on Friday, May 9. This event is held to raise the money needed to award fine art students with scholarships. The participants range from high school students to Grammy winners such as Poncho Sanchez and Roy “Futureman” Wooten Crowds flocked to the California State University of Bakersfield’s amphitheater Friday and Saturday night to be greeted by a modern display of art and a mini bazar of local artisans. Heineken was a proud sponsor of this year’s event.

The music styles varied from Latin Jazz to the Blues giving the audiences a wide variety of Jazz flavor. There was entertainment and dancing for all ages. A Blues focused band by the name of the Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet took their younger audience into consideration when they performed the theme song for the beloved children’s classic Sesame Street, inciting a crowd of children to take to the dance floor.