International Jazz Festival «Live in Blue Bay» is one of the brightest events of the fall in Koktebel. Every year it gathers thousands of quality music lovers who want to plunge into the incredible atmosphere of a real musical holiday on the picturesque Black Sea coast.
For the first time festival «Live in Blue Bay» was held in 2008. Its organizer and ideologist was K. Zelinsky — director of the boarding house «Blue Bay». The festival was conceived as an alternative to popular music, an event that would bring together connoisseurs of live music and its quality performance.
Every year more than one hundred musical groups from all over the world and about six thousand spectators come to the jazz festival «Live in Blue Bay» in Koktebel. Among the performers are world stars and the best emerging jazz bands from around the world. The events are held in open-air format on three stages: two small and one large, the concerts continue with jam sessions in cafes on the coast. Admission to all performances, as well as to the exhibition of exclusive musical instruments, remains free of charge every year.
The opening of the festival is traditionally celebrated with a parade through the village, followed by 3-4 days of great music festivities with performances by famous musicians and talented emerging artists.
For all guests of the village of the international jazz festival «Live in Blue Bay» — an opportunity, having come here, to gain bright impressions not only exploring sights of Koktebel and spending time on cozy beaches, but also listening to quality music, which is performed live. Rest in Koktebel during the festival will be remembered for a long time, will leave a lot of pleasant memories. For everyone who appreciates tourism in Ukraine for the opportunity to actively, culturally and truly relax, exploring the most interesting sights, visiting protected and picturesque places, the festival will be a pleasant addition, and for many for several years it has become a reason to come to this wonderful village in early September. Not without reason its spectators and participants say about the festival: «In September, however, in Koktebel the sun has a rival — jazz».