ELLENSBURG -- Most every year for the past 11, the Sunday afternoon concert that closes Ellensburg's Jazz in the Valley weekend has been directed by legendary jazz educator John Moawad -- clad in canvas shorts, T-shirt and his trademark straw hat.

And for the past seven, his former student and protégé, Chris Bruya, has been his partner. He lined up Moawad's former Central Washington University students to play, directed the tunes featuring guest artists, and stood by in case Moawad, who battled cancer for years, felt too ill to pull it off.

This year, though, Bruya will go it alone, a bittersweet reminder of Moawad's death in November. Beside him will stand an empty stool topped by Moawad's hat.

"There'll be a hole for sure," Bruya says.

This year's 13th annual Jazz in the Valley Festival is dedicated to Moawad, who taught jazz at Central for 28 years and was affectionately called "Coach." A laminated poster of Moawad will hang in the Rotary Pavilion beer garden, where Moawad liked to hang out.

"We're gonna miss him," says Ellensburg Realtor Larry Sharpe, one of the festival's founders and "Grand Poo-Bah" since the start. "He cared about the festival and always wanted it to work."

While many assume Moawad was a Jazz in the Valley founder, that wasn't the case. In fact, Sharpe recalls with a laugh, Moawad's reaction was "No way in hell!" when Sharpe and local arts supporter Sydney Moe came up with the idea and asked him to get involved.

He liked the idea, Sharpe adds, but Moawad steered Sharpe to former trumpet professor Tom Gause to be the festival's Central liaison. (Gause died of cancer in 2001.) So they gathered a crew of 15 to 18, most of whom had been involved in the defunct Laughing Horse Summer Theatre and were looking for a new volunteer project.

Between March and July, they rounded up donors, secured five clubs as venues and invited eight bands.

"We developed the philosophy that still holds today," Sharpe recalls. "This will always be held downtown as long as we're involved -- it won't go to the college, it won't go to the fairgrounds, it won't go to Suncadia, it won't go to the river. It's a downtown event."

A couple of years later, the board got the idea to add Sunday to the mix, and invited Moawad to put together his 18-piece "All Star Big Band" of former students. For a few years, Moawad also gave jazz history lectures Saturday afternoons at the pavilion, where he would set up his boombox to play samples.

By 2002, the festival had expanded to nine venues, and regional -- sometimes even national -- artists were knocking on the door.

"The (big name) musicians have heard about the festival. They want to be here" and don't mind cutting their fees, says Vijay Singh, another Central professor who joined the music committee after arriving in 1999.

This year's legendary draw is Nancy King. Singh calls her "one of the greatest jazz singers alive."

Sharpe, Bruya and Singh all say the key components to the weekend's long-running success are sticking to its formula: Don't get too big, don't go over budget, don't let ticket prices get too high, don't pay anyone to pull it off. (Incredibly, the entire weekend is planned and executed by 24 board members and 200 volunteers. They don't even get a free pass.)

They also agree that Moawad likely would have died years earlier if it hadn't been for his annual "All Stars" finale.

"He would always call me up or e-mail in the days following to say how much better he felt," Bruya says. "It was his medicine."

If you go ...

WHAT: Jazz in the Valley.

WHO: Alma Villegas Quintet; Barney Mclure's B3 Quartet; B.I.G.; Brent Edstrom Trio; David Friesen Quintet; Gail Pettis Trio; Greta Matassa featuring Susan Pascal; Jake Bergevin & The Javatown Swing Orchestra; John Moawad's All Star Big Band; John Sanders & Gypsy Reeds, Strings and Skins; Jon Hamar Trio featuring Kelly Ash; Kolvane; Lenny Price Quintet; Little Bill & the Bluenotes; Mary McPage; Michael Powers Group; Nancy King & Steve Christofferson; Nick Vigarino's Meantown Blues; Open Country Joy; Randy Oxford Band; Ranger & the ReArrangers; Sidewalk Stompers; Son Jack Jr. & Michael Wilde; Too Slim & the Taildraggers; Total Experience Gospel Choir.

WHEN & WHERE: Festival performers play at downtown Ellensburg venues beginning at 8:30 Friday night. The music continues Saturday on the Main Stage at the Rotary Pavilion at East Fourth Avenue and Pearl Street, then heads back into the venues at 8:30 p.m. It all wraps up with music in the Rotary Pavilion again Sunday beginning at 10:30 a.m.

THE SCHEDULE: Festival lineup and complete information is available at www.jazzinthevalley.com.

HOW MUCH: Three-day festival pass costs $35. Friday night and Saturday night passes cost $15 each; Saturday and Sunday afternoon passes cost $10 each. Passes are available at the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce, 609 N. Main St., or by calling 509-925-3137 or 888-925-2204.

MORE THAN MUSIC: Here's what else is going on around Ellensburg on Saturday:

* Sip N' Sample: 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Premium wines, specialty foods and artwork. Gallery One, 408 N. Pearl St., and The Clymer Museum of Art, 416 N. Pearl St. Cost: $10, includes souvenir glass.

* Farmers market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fresh produce, arts and crafts. Fourth Avenue between Ruby and Pearl streets.

* Kittitas County Historical Museum: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Local history exhibits. 114 E. Third Ave. Free admission.

* Children's Activity Museum: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Family activities. 118 E. Fourth Ave.