A festive February in Wilmington with a 3-day jazz weekend

You can hear winter's swan song in Wilmington in February: It's been like that since 1980, when the Port City launched its inaugural N.C. Jazz Festival.

The popular event will be the weekend of Feb. 5-7 at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside, downtown on North Water Street.

What's featured this time around?

Fifteen traditional and swing jazz musicians, playing on the stage of the hotel's ballroom; enjoy the cabaret-style seating.

The weekend kicks off  Feb. 5 (a Thursday) with a three-hour "Styles of Jazz” concert featuring The Benny Hill Quartet (jazz standards), Molly Ryan with the Dan Levinson Quartet (swing), Rossano Sportiello (tribute to George Shearing) and Ed Polcer’s All-Star Jam.

Friday and Saturday evening features an all-star musician lineup in a traditional presentation of seven sets, each with different leaders. The leaders this year include Adrian Cunningham and Dan Levinson (reeds), Ed Polcer (cornet), Nate Najar (guitar), Nicki Parrott (bass, vocals), Vincent Gardner (trombone), Rossano Sportiello and Mark Shane (piano), Kevin Dorn and Chuck Redd (drums), Herman Burney (bass), Bria Skonberg (trumpet/vocals -- that's a photo of her at the top of this post), Molly Ryan (vocals), Benny Hill (sax) and Jonathan Russell (violin).

Also at the festival: workshops, master classes.

For tickets and details: 910-793-1111 or www.ncjazzfestival.com.

Area info: www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com.