Kicking off the holiday season and to celebrate a year of phenomenal jazz concerts on the RiverWalk Stage, organizers are hosting a Holiday Jazz Festival on Sunday December 2, that will encompass much of Stuart's historic downtown and riverfront. Eight great hours of jazz and holiday entertainment are planned for the RiverWalk Stage as well as a community entertainment stage on Osceola Street - all entertainment and activities are FREE to the public.

Returning to help celebrate the successful RiverWalk Jazz Series will be some of the season's most popular jazz artists: Mark Green and the Rowdy Roosters, Ossie Wright and the Groove Division and finally local Latin jazz phenom Robert Navarro and the Latin Groove Band. "Over the past several months we've surveyed the audience and based on their feedback these were the three jazz groups that they wanted to see return for the festival." Mike James, co-coordinator and announcer from Hi Mom Productions.

The RiverWalk Jazz Holiday Festival is collaboration between the Stuart News, The Downtown Business Association (DBA), Stuart MainStreet, the City of Stuart Parks and Recreation Department, Hi Mom Productions and Stuart Heritage. Their mission is to bring first class, live jazz entertainment to Stuart's historic downtown waterfront. What originally started as a project to promote the downtown Stuart area increasing pedestrian and retail traffic to the historic downtown area has grown into a very successful jazz-arts program. Jazz fans from Miami to Montreal Canada and from all over the Treasure Coast are raving about the jazz series and are begging for more!

The RiverWalk Stage Sponsored by Coast 101.3and Toyota of Stuart (at the base of St. Lucie Ave at the St. Lucie River)

Noon - 2 p.m. Mark Green and the Rowdy Roosters

Green is one of the area's most popular and prolific musicians and plays some of the meanest trumpet this side of Louisiana. With his vibrant character, red hot trumpet and his rowdy Dixieland Band, RiverWalk Jazz fans are sure to be entertained with this performance.

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Ossie Wright and the Groove Division

Ossie Wright Jr. is one of our areas most talented and beloved jazz pianists. He has assembled a talented group of musicians that are known as the Groove Division. The band plays everything from Gospel to Motown but their roots are in jazz and they'll be performing many styles of this original American art form on Sunday afternoon.

6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Robert Navarro and the Latin Groove Band

Their signature sound is amixture of hot Latin rhythms, sizzling energy and creative improvisation, ideal for dancing and listening pleasure. Much of their repertoire has been chosen from the most popular tunes in Jazz as well as a few originals from their upcoming CD. Included are those tunes made popular by great Latin Jazz legends such as Ray Barretto, Chano Pozo, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie Palmieri, Cal Tjader and many more. Also unique to Latin Groove is that they often weave Puerto Rican folkloric dance melodies, such as 'Bomba y Plena' into their live performances. www.rnrproductionsinc.com

The Santa Snow Fun Zone for kids of all ages (in front of City Hall off of St. Lucie Ave.)

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. The North Pole comes to Stuart Florida. Over 20 tons of cold snow will be delivered to the festival by City Hall. Kids of all ages will be able to come and experience what it's like to be 'snowed in' courtesy of the City of Stuart and the Community Redevelopment Agency.

3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Santa! Watch Santa as he supervises the snows arrival to Historic Downtown Stuart, there is no other bearded and red suited man that is more qualified to oversee such an important holiday event. Once the snow is all in place, Santa will be available for meet 'n greets and photo opportunities.

3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Fun Zone and youth activity area complete with bounce houses, slides and a fun filled obstacle course for kids between the ages of 3 and 12.

The Community Stage Sponsored by the City of Stuart Parks and Recreation Department (Osceola Street)

The City of Stuart Parks and Recreation Department in its mission to keep Stuart living well is announcing their WELL*LIFE program initiative and the WELL*LIFE 1 st Committee are sponsoring the Community Stage. Performances and demonstrations are designed to both entertain and inform the audience on how to live healthier, happier and stress free during the holidays.

Noon - 1 p.m. Holiday Jazzercise

1 p.m. Master Chen with a Tai Chi Demonstration

2 p.m. 10 th Street Children's Music and Dance Troupe

3 p.m. Keeping your Nutrition on Track with Start Up Nutrition

4 p.m. Rosalind Hall Downtown Fitness Hip Hop Demonstration

5 p.m. South Fork High School Holiday Carolers

Other activities and festival features include:

Supplies for Troops: Road to Victory Military Museum, a Stuart based not for profit, and Victory Forge Military Academy will be collecting supplies for troops serving oversees in Iraq. All supplies will be going directly to 3 rd Infantry Division which also happens to be where Hobe Sound resident Lt. Travis Plummer is currently deployed. For more information on the supply drive, contact Col. Weierman at 772-879-7181. Military vehicles will also be on display.

Holiday Plant Sale : Stuart In Bloom will be selling holiday plants on Osceola Street. All proceeds from the plant sale will go directly Stuart in Bloom in support of their community entry into the national America in Bloom contest. For more information on this project call Tara Biek at 772-283-0019 or check out www.americainbloom.com.

Stuart Secret : Park it Downtown! Guess the correct number of cars in the plexi-glass box under the Christmas Tree on Osceola Street and you may win a one year lease to a VW Beatle, a private parking spot in downtown Stuart for six months and a gift basket packed full of merchandise from downtown merchants and restaurants. Tickets available at the festival, for more information call I Productions at 772-370-4571 or www.stuartsecret.com

Osceola Pedestrian Mall and Car Show:

Osceola Street will become a festive pedestrian mall complete with merchants displaying their merchandise street side and creative demonstrations. Interactive demonstrations run throughout the festival and include a sandal making demonstration by world renowned sandal maker, Stephen Bonanno from Palm Beach and a pottery making demonstration by master potter Barbara Conrad and David Horowitz from Rare Earth Pottery and Arts Gallery.

Grolsch Green Light River Walk:

Downtown restaurants and bars will be participating in the first annual Grolsch Green Light District River Walk. Decked out in festive green lights, Osceola Street will become a fun place to walk up and down the street visiting participating restaurants and bars. The Grolsch Green Light District River Walk will take place between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. with prizes being awarded at 7 p.m. on the RiverWalk Stage.

General Event Notes:

Osceola Street will be closed during the festival beginning at 2 a.m. Sunday December 2. The City of Stuart courtesy shuttle Sailfish Six will be running between all open city parking lots throughout the event. For more information on Sail Fish Six go to www.downtownfirst.com.

The RiverWalk Jazz Holiday Festival is a RAIN or SHINE event. All times are accurate at the time of issuing this schedule. Coolers will not be permitted into the event. The RiverWalk Jazz Holiday Festival will not issue refunds should there be any schedule delays, changes, substitutions and/or cancellations. For up to date event information call 772-221-4106 or check out www.riverwalkjazz.com.

Public information: 772-221-4105 or www.riverwalkjazz.com or www.downtownfirst.com