Established in 2013, the Defiance Jazz Festival honors the memory of jazz greats, Wild Bill Davison and Milt Buckner, who called Defiance their home.  The event recognizes their contributions to the genre and has provided educational opportunities about the history of jazz.

The Defiance Jazz Festival is a Defiance Community Cultural Council (DCCC) event, that offers an afternoon and evening of jazz music at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. Besides a lovely setting, the variety of food and drinks, and a children’s program, make it a wonderful family activity.

Each year Defiance Jazz Festival continues to evolve and grow. We are supported by many local businesses, agencies and individuals throughout the community. This support is reflected in the increased annual attendance, drawing people from the surrounding area as well as those living in nearby Michigan and Indiana. All involved in the event are committed to promoting the genre of jazz and honoring the legacy of Milt Buckner and “Wild” Bill Davison.

J.R.’s Jazzy Joint: Children’s Funbags

In 2015, support given by Sylvia Reynolds-Blakely in honor of her father, J. R. Reynolds, allowed the committee to add Children’s Programming to the event. Mr. Reynolds and his daughter want to expose this uniquely American genre of music to the younger members of our community. We are pleased that Citizens In Action have continued to organize, conduct and support this endeavor. Due to COVID, the decision was made to hand out J.R.’s Jazzy Funbags this year in place of children activities. Families should look for the Citizens In Action tent as they enter the festival.