Every year, Fredericton, N.B. hosts the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, which this year included a performance by Britain's Bloc Party, pictured. (Eric Thom)

As soon as you land, it’s apparent you’re somewhere different — somewhere more relaxed, less stress inducing. Even the airport terminal seems friendly, despite the fact that on the day I arrived, Greater Fredericton Airport was experiencing one of its busier days.

It’s Harvest time in Fredericton. Each September, New Brunswick’s capital transforms itself into a hyper-hospitable smorgasbord of music. The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival has become the East Coast’s largest celebration of jazz, blues and world music, consistently blending big international names with up-and-coming local heroes. Given the musical heritage of the Maritimes, the pressure is on the festival’s music committee to expose the Harvest hardcore to something superior to anything they might find elsewhere. Because “Freddie” (originally “Frederick’s Town,” named for King George III’s second son) is also home to three universities, Harvest’s roster must satisfy all ages without sacrificing quality.

This year’s edition, which ran Sept. 9-14, featured 70-plus performers in 125 performances over 23 stages, all within easy walking distance. As usual, the city dedicated itself to the event, offering up its streets, historical properties and lush parkland to house the festival’s hectic schedule. With giant elm trees, mammoth Victorian-style homes amid 1785-era military buildings and the mighty Saint John River (which severely flooded the venue only months before), the setting provides a clue that this isn’t a pack-‘em-in- for-profit kind of event. There’s room to breathe here, as well as an uncanny sense of intimacy.

One of the most magical moments at this year’s fest was Eric Bibb’s opening set. While it was the New Yorker’s first visit to the Maritimes, the large crowd gushed in response to his honest brand of folk-blues; he was visibly moved. A later performance at another venue pitted Bibb against a packed house full of budding conversationalists. He overcame the beer-fuelled banter by involving his audience in a clap-along, eventually letting his boisterous fans subdue the competition without incident.

Guitarist Garrett Mason follows in the footsteps of his father, the late, great Nova Scotia blues player Dutch Mason. Garrett Mason was one of the performers at Harvest this year. (Eric Thom)

“There’s a definite flavour, a uniqueness, an unpretentiousness [to Harvest] – it’s genuine here and it feels very familiar,” Bibb told me. Harvest veterans like Bruce Hughes believe that the festival’s variety alone differentiates it from others. This year’s installment included everything from the witty, old-timey banjo playing of Chester, N.S.’s Old Man Luedecke to the sultry, four-octave jazz vocals of Sarah Jane Morris; from the four-trombone assault of New Orleans’ Bonerama to the art-punk life force that is Britain’s Bloc Party.

Hughes also points out that at Harvest, “you’re not subjected to one stage and 20,000 people. You can walk around in a safe community and experience music they way it was meant to be.” Harvest pass holders Ricky Worrall and Carole Coodine have noticed more and more integration between international and local acts over the years — and that the audience itself is “more and more from away.”

Indeed, marquee acts like Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy relax their big-city rules and make an effort to be seen with fans — during his set, he strolled through the house while soloing and stole playful kisses from female volunteer staff. Local heroes Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin’ Bastards and Dutch Mason’s prodigal son, Garrett, opened for Buddy, boasting local pride and outstanding performances all around. Both Guy and Southern slide guitarist Derek Trucks delivered magical chapters for the Harvest’s history books. Guy combined incendiary fretwork with comedic facial gestures, while Trucks demonstrated his unbridled genius with an ever-soaring barrage of spellbinding notes.

Buzz-worthy bands like Hey Rosetta! (from St. John’s) and Tom Fun Orchestra (Sydney, N.S.) held their ground alongside the seductive theatricality of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, another Harvest highlight. Charlie Hunter’s eight-string jazz excursions — in which he manages to play bass and melody on a single guitar — were typically infectious. A performance by the remaining members of Jeff Healey’s Blues Band at this year’s fest alternated between tribute and farewell, culminating in a rendition of Angel Eyes that, as noted by fan Sharon Caissie, “left very few dry eyes in the house.” The late Jeff Healey was not only a Canadian icon, but a Harvest regular.

In addition to this rich tapestry of musical choices, a wealth of bar activity in the surrounding area celebrates anyone who’s got the talent to perform. For me, one of Harvest’s best moments came as blues-rock guitarists Ross Nielsen and Keith Hallett jammed together at a club called Dolan’s where, moments before, Johnnie Price and Ian Beattie ripped up the stage with a Southern-flavoured guitar duel that took no prisoners.

Musician Grace Potter, captured in all her glory at Harvest. (Eric Thom)

The pride the locals have for Harvest is immense; from the baggage handlers and cab drivers to the guys running PAs or pizza, they’re proud of their festival and are intent on making it your best experience ever. While Freddie’s population is only about 50,000 people, it’s a fair bet that most of them have at some point or another volunteered for the operation. Like a mad pack of custom-shirted Mouseketeers, they are the arms and legs of the countless tasks associated with running the event.

Hosting is one example of how Harvest does things differently: the visiting musicians are teamed with volunteer hosts who look after them, providing them with everything from schedule reminders to home-cooked meals. It’s little wonder the artists pay it forward by delivering impassioned performances. Ottawa musician Steve Marriner confirms this “personal touch makes you feel welcome from the second you get there — like family.” Roy Souza, road manager for Nick Moss & the Flip Tops, adds, “It’s the most user-friendly festival we’ve ever encountered.” (Souza has nicknamed it “Pleasantville.”)

The festival offers fans of live music a rare and varied opportunity to bask in summer’s last glow while getting closer to artists and their music than previously thought possible. At Harvest, it's always offers a bumper crop.

Eric Thom is a writer based in Toronto.