The outdoor music festival was inspired in 1953 by jazz enthusiast Elaine Lorillard. She contacted jazz pianist George Wein who went on to produce the first festival in 1954. Wein still produces the festival to this day and is world-renowned for founding the music festival era.
Set on picturesque Fort Adams State Park, audience members and musicians are able to take in the oceanfront view of Newport Harbor. In 1972, the festival briefly moved to New York City but came back to Newport and was a two-site festival in 1981. Several different venues have been added over the years, including a covered stage at Fort Adams and the use of the International Tennis Hall of Fame for 2010's opening night.
Known as the "grandfather of all jazz festivals," the Newport Jazz Festival has hosted some of the most prolific and important jazz musicians of the day. The festival blends a diverse collection of jazz greats and up and coming musicians. As the website, A Passion for Jazz, points out, Newport has become synonymous with the best in jazz music.