This Saturday (August 15) is the Montclair Jazz Festival, an all-day music-fest that takes place at Nishuane Park. This rain-or-shine event includes performances by Jose James, The Paquito D'Rivera Quintet and The Christian McBride Big Band as well as many other ensembles and big bands.

People show up at noon with blankets and lawn chairs and spend a little or a lot of time taking in one of Montclair's most valuable offerings - a long-standing, unwavering dedication to bringing live music into the community.

No tickets required, you can just show up - and I just found out something that made my own heart sing: the community has arranged (through support from Diamond Cycle Bikes and Bike/Walk Montclair) extensive secure bike parking for the event - "Free Bike Valet!" (I know, hauling lawn chairs on a bike is not the easiest thing to do, but for those of us who are happy to sit on a towel and soak up a day of music, it's a great addition!)

If you're around on Saturday, I urge you to check it out. It runs noon to 9pm and truly is one of the many events that sets Montclair apart as a satellite cultural mecca.