Hamiet Bluiett, jazz legend and champion of the baritone saxophone, performs Wednesday, June 27, at The Missouri Botanical Garden‘s 19^th annual Whitaker Music Festival.

The Whitaker Music Festival series of free concerts features music under the stars on Wednesdays through July 25.

Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Free concert admission begins at 5 p.m. and last entry is at 9 p.m. For more information, visit the Garden’s website.

Concert-goers may bring lawn chairs or blankets and are allowed to picnic on Garden grounds on nights of the concerts only. No barbecue grills, fireworks, sparklers or pets re allowed. Food is available for purchase on site.

Whitaker Music Festival concerts are held on the lawn of the open-air Cohen Amphitheater, west of the Climatron^® dome.

The 2012 performer lineup includes:

• July 4 – Air National Guard Band of the Central United States – military tradition classics and jazz, big band and rock.
• July 11 – Ryan Spearman Band, singer, songwriter and folk music multi-instrumentalist.
• July 18 – Teresa Jenee, soulful, introspective vocalist and pianist.
• July 25 – Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, roots reggae and Mississippi River blues.

The Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden also remains open late until 7 p.m. on concert evenings, with free admission after 5 p.m. Lantern Festival exhibits will not be lit during Whitaker Music Festival evenings.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. An additional concert entry site will be open on Tower Grove Avenue and Magnolia located on the south end of the Garden.

For more information, visit the website or call the recorded hotline at (314) 577-5100. In the event of inclement weather, check the Garden’s website, Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/mobotnews) or Facebook page (www.facebook.com/missouribotanicalgarden) for immediate concert updates.

The Whitaker Music Festival is funded by the Whitaker Foundation.