North Park University Musicians Land Coveted Chicago Jazz Festival Slots at Millennium Park, With Students, Alumni and Faculty Joining the Labor Day Weekend Lineup

CHICAGO, IL — Several North Park University musicians are taking part in the Chicago Jazz Festival this Labor Day weekend, marking a notable showing for the school at one of the city’s most prominent music events. Students, alumni and faculty members are all represented in the lineup at Millennium Park.

The festival offers free programming and brings together local and international talent for audiences in downtown Chicago. For North Park, the selection underscores how competitive the festival’s booking process can be, since performers must go through a rigorous audition process before making the cut.

Students, alumni and faculty all earned spots

The North Park contingent includes students Victoria Flores, Stephanie Garcia, Andrea Hernandez, Yash Pawar and Talha Waqar. Music Lecturer Alexander “Alex” Beltran and instructor Darren Scorza are also part of the weekend performances.

Alumni representation adds another layer to the school’s presence. Michele Thomas, NPU ’97, a Distinguished Young Alumni Awardee and founder of the North Park University Gospel Choir, is also performing, along with Sid Smith IV, BA ’20. The mix of current students and graduates makes the appearance feel like a campus-wide showcase rather than a single department moment.

Why a festival slot matters in jazz circles

Chicago Jazz Festival is not just a local concert series. The event is widely regarded as one of the world’s oldest and largest jazz festivals, which gives a booking there a level of prestige that reaches far beyond one school or one weekend.

Because the program is carefully curated, being selected is considered an accomplishment in itself. That matters for North Park performers, who are joining a roster built through auditions and programming choices designed to highlight strong musicianship and variety.

A Labor Day tradition rooted in free public performances

The festival has become a Labor Day weekend tradition in Chicago, and its free format helps make it accessible to a broad audience. Performances at Millennium Park give festivalgoers a chance to hear jazz without a ticket barrier, which has long been part of the event’s appeal.

That accessibility also helps explain why the festival draws such a wide crowd. People come from across the globe to attend and perform, turning the weekend into a meeting point for jazz fans, artists and students who want to see the genre’s traditions carried forward in a public setting.

Chicago’s jazz history gives the event added weight

The city’s deep ties to jazz are part of what makes the festival so significant. Chicago has long been associated with the genre, and the festival reflects that legacy by placing new performers alongside a tradition that stretches across generations.

Over the years, some of the biggest names in jazz have appeared at the event, including Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie. That history helps explain why North Park’s presence stands out: students and faculty are stepping onto a stage that has hosted icons whose influence still defines the music.

How North Parkers fit into the festival’s wider reach

For North Park University, the festival appearance is also a public sign of the school’s music community. Having several performers selected at once suggests a depth of talent that spans ensembles, teaching and alumni achievement.

The performances connect the university to a major citywide celebration while also tying its current students to graduates who have continued in the field. That blend of experience and training is part of what makes a festival spot meaningful for fans, classmates and the wider Chicago jazz audience alike.

Chicago's music scene, one story at a time — Chicago Music Guide.