The Capital Jazzfest is a FREE music festival created by Jazz Forward Initiative, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, in collaboration with several other non-profit entities. The Capital Jazzfest takes place in Jefferson City, Missouri each September. The mission statement: "Jazz Forward Initiative, Inc. (JFI) is dedicated to the support, preservation, and continuation of America’s national treasure, Jazz music. Our mission is to provide the citizens of mid-Missouri with the opportunity to see and hear excellent live performances of this uniquely American art form in a safe, comfortable setting, by presenting the best locally based, regional and national Jazz and blues musicians Missouri and the world has to offer to expand their understanding and appreciation of the art form."