Juneau Jazz & Classics was founded in 1986 by a group of Juneau musicians and music lovers led by violinist Linda Rosenthal. From the outset, the planners foresaw a festival of music, offering both formal and informal concerts, workshops for musicians of all ages, youth concerts, outreach activities, and community interaction with the featured artists. The festival has now evolved into a 10-day annual event that includes all those activities, bringing people from inside and outside the community together to hear great live performances in a variety of musical styles.