Grugelfest celebrates Dixieland music

The Cakewalkin' Jass Band of Toledo will be one of the featured acts at Grugelfest 2013.

Dixieland jazz fans, it’s time to get your Grugel on.

The festival to celebrate the genre, Grugelfest 2013, is taking place this weekend at the SeaGate Convention Centre and the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel in downtown Toledo.

The event is a revival of the Fall Dixieland Jazz Festival that was formerly held in Strongsville, Ohio, but was canceled in 2011. Veteran Toledo jazz musician “Ragtime Rick” Grafing, piano player in the Cakewalkin’ Jass Band, revived the festival last year and it will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The name is a tribute to Ralph Grugel, leader of Cleveland’s Eagle Jazz Band, who died in 2005.

Grugelfest starts at 6 p.m. Friday and five veteran jazz bands, piano players, and student and faculty groups will be featured over the weekend.

The Cakewalkin’ Jass Band will represent the Toledo area, with special guest Duke Heitger on trumpet. Also performing will be Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers from Dayton,; the Climax Jazz Band from Toronto; the Blue Ox Jazz Babies from Mankato, Minn.; and the St. Louis Stompers.

Pianists include Jeff Barnhart and Cleveland’s Sister Jean, the Ragtime Queen.

A pre-festival party will be Thursday at the Durty Burd Gastropub with Ragtime Rick and the Chefs of Dixieland performing at 8 p.m.

Tickets for are on sale at the Seagate Centre Box Office (419 321-5007) and also at ticketmaster.com. Weekend passes are available, as well as individual session tickets. Tickets range from $45 for single sessions to $150 for weekend passes.

Profits will benefit the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Northwest Ohio.

Information: grugelfest.com.