By Cherri Gregg

Philadelphia (CBS) — The sixth annual “Jazz on the Ave” Festival and Columbia Avenue Old School Reunion kicked off at noon Saturday in North Philadelphia.

Thousands from the area converged on Cecil B. Moore Avenue near Broad Street for jazz, old school music and much more says Beech Community Services Director, Christine Brown.

“We’ll have a lot of old school music playing from the 60, 70s and 80s. We’ll have line dancing and Zumba. We have free children activities and health screenings and lots of vendors.”

Brown says the free festival will run from noon until 7:30 Saturday night, with two stages, one at Cecil B. Moore near Broad and the other along Cecil B. near 17th.

There will also be several jazz acts, including jazz pianist Alfie Pollitt, who says he’ll be playing lots of John Coltrane.

“He was music, he loved music. Music came through him. So we are disciples of his music.”

For more information about the Beech Companies, go to www.beechinterplex.com.