Jazz festivals

Washington Heights Jazz Festival

Nov 4–8, 2026On now

A neighborhood festival: about 65 musicians in bars, a bakery, a shrine and the United Palace.

Where

Washington Heights, Manhattan · 7 neighborhood venues

Price

Some events free; Saturday all-day pass $60; free or reduced admission on request

Music

Latin, Brazilian, manouche and straight-ahead

Good for

First-timers, families, uptown locals

2026

Ted Nash Trio with Ben Allison, Akili Bradley Quartet, Kavita Shah & François Moutin, John Benitez

• The free kickoff needs an RSVP.
• Saturday's marathon room is upstairs; a livestream room is set up for anyone who can't do stairs.

TD James Moody Jazz Festival

Nov 6–22, 2026In 2 days

Two-plus weeks of concerts in the big halls at NJPAC plus clubs and a church around Newark.

Where

Newark, NJ · NJPAC and neighborhood venues

Getting there

NJ Transit or Amtrak from Penn Station to Newark Penn, about 20–30 minutes

Price

Free to $79; a few free community shows

Music

Big names across mainstream jazz and vocals

Good for

Anyone: pick single nights, no overnight needed

2026

Gregory Porter, Charles Lloyd Quartet with Bill Frisell, Bruce Hornsby with Christian McBride, Jon Faddis: Miles @ 100

• The Sarah Vaughan vocal competition (Nov 22) is a great discovery afternoon.
• Small brunch shows at NICO Kitchen sell out first.

Jazz Age Lawn Party

Autumn edition: Nov 7–8, 2026In 3 days

A 1920s dress-up picnic: hot jazz orchestra, Charleston lessons, vintage everything.

Where

Governors Island · ferry from Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn

Price

Ticketed; ferry booked separately

Music

1920s hot jazz and swing dancing

Good for

First-timers, dancers, dress-up fans

House band

Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra

• Reserve the ferry separately.
• Bring a picnic blanket; dress the part.

M³ Festival

Sat Nov 7, 2026In 3 days

Mutual Mentorship for Musicians: a night of new work by artists of underrepresented genders.

Where

Roulette, Downtown Brooklyn

Price

Ticketed, with a free livestream

Music

Avant-jazz and new music

Good for

Adventurous listeners

2026

Terri Lyne Carrington, William Parker, Theo Bleckmann, Martha Redbone, Tomas Fujiwara

• Can't make it? Roulette streams it free.

Django Reinhardt NY Festival

Nov 11–15, 2026In 7 days

Five nights of Django-style guitar fireworks, now at Dizzy's after years at Birdland.

Where

Dizzy's Club, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle

Price

$60 cover, students $30, plus a $25 food & drink minimum

Music

Gypsy jazz

Good for

First-timers and swing fans

2026

Django Festival Allstars led by Samson Schmitt, Tatiana Eva-Marie, Edmar Castañeda, Ute Lemper, Roberta Gambarini

• Small room; book early.
• Sunday showtimes differ from the weeknights; check the ticket page.

NYC Winter Jazzfest

Jan 12–19, 2027

New York's biggest jazz week: marathon nights with 100+ sets you hop between on one wristband.

Where

About a dozen clubs on the Lower East Side, in the Village and in Williamsburg

Price

Wristband marathon passes (1- or 2-day) plus single shows

Music

Progressive, avant and the cutting edge

Good for

Adventurous listeners and die-hards

2027 first wave

Andrew Cyrille Quartet with Bill Frisell, Sun Ra Arkestra, Marc Ribot, Wadada Leo Smith & Sylvie Courvoisier, William Parker at 75, Coltrane 100 with Ravi & Michelle Coltrane

• Plan a route by venue; rooms fill and entry isn't guaranteed.
• Keep the wristband on all weekend. Many venues are 21+.

Jazz Congress

Jan 13–14, 2027

The jazz business's annual meeting: two days of panels, listening sessions and short sets.

Where

Jazz at Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle

Price

Paid registration; students $60

Music

Panels, keynotes and showcases

Good for

Musicians, presenters, students, industry

2026 keynote

Wendell Pierce

• Popular sessions fill; arrive early.

Unity Jazz Festival

Jan 15–16, 2027

A weekend of concerts at Jazz at Lincoln Center that closes out Jazz Congress week.

Where

Jazz at Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle

Price

Ticketed

Music

Caribbean and Latin focus in 2026

Good for

Anyone in town for Winter Jazzfest week

2026

Kes and Friends featuring Etienne Charles, Jazz Legacies Fellowship concert

Charles Mingus Festival & High School Competition

Usually mid-February· next dates not announced yet · last held February 13–15, 2026

Student big bands from around the country take on Mingus, with evening concerts by the pros.

Where

Manhattan

Price

Competition plus concerts

Music

Mingus's music, played by high-school bands and pros

Good for

Students, teachers, Mingus fans

Downtown NYC JazzFest

Usually late April (first held 2026)· next dates not announced yet · last held April 22–26, 2026

A new festival in Tribeca's hotel bars and supper clubs.

Where

Tribeca · The Django and Soho Grand

Price

Free afternoon sets to about $40

Music

Swing, vocals and groove

Good for

A dressed-up night out

2026

Shayna Steele, Mark Whitfield & Oz Noy, Allan Harris, Brian Newman

Germantown Jazz Festival

Usually late April (the festival site lists April 23–25, 2027)· next dates not announced yet · last held April 24–26, 2026

A small community festival in a brewery, a music school and a church.

Where

Germantown, Philadelphia

Getting there

Train to Philadelphia (about 1.5 hours), then SEPTA Regional Rail

Price

$25–50 per event; late-night jam $15; 3-day pass

Music

Philadelphia's straight-ahead scene

Good for

Philly-scene insiders

2026

Terell Stafford, Orrin Evans & Captain Black Big Band, Philly Pops Jazz Orchestra

Philly Jazz Month

Usually all of April· next dates not announced yet · last held April 2026

A month of jazz across Philly: crawls, concerts and jam sessions.

Where

Philadelphia, citywide

Getting there

Amtrak or NJ Transit + SEPTA, about 1.5–2 hours

Price

Many free events

Music

Everything Philadelphia

Good for

A Philly day trip any weekend in April

Pittsfield CityJazz Festival

Usually mid–late April· next dates not announced yet · last held April 17–25, 2026

Ten days of jazz in a Berkshires town, now past its 20th year.

Where

Pittsfield, MA (the Berkshires)

Getting there

Drive about 3 hours

Price

Ticketed

Music

Mainstream jazz and vocals

Good for

A spring weekend away

2026

Veronica Swift, Grace Kelly, Georgia Heers

Princeton University Jazz Festival

Usually spring· next dates not announced yet · last held April 11, 2026

A campus afternoon of student bands, then an evening concert with a guest star.

Where

Richardson Auditorium, Princeton, NJ

Getting there

NJ Transit to Princeton Junction + the Dinky, about 1 hour 20 minutes

Price

Afternoon sets free; evening concert ticketed

Music

Big band and modern

Good for

An easy, cheap spring day trip

2026

Gary Bartz with the Creative Large Ensemble, Rudresh Mahanthappa

Ridgewood Jazz Fest

Usually last full week of April, around International Jazz Day· next dates not announced yet · last held April 19–30, 2026

30+ shows over four nights in Queens bars and clubs, with a young crowd and late hangs.

Where

Ridgewood, Queens · bars, clubs and a plaza

Price

Mostly pay-what-you-can or free; a few headline shows around $35

Music

Groove, Latin and modern

Good for

Younger crowd, neighborhood hang

2026

Chris Dave & the Drumhedz, Godwin Louis, Sasha Berliner, Axel Tosca, Brandon Woody

• The late headline sets are small rooms; get there early.

Exit Zero Jazz Festival

Spring: May 14–16, 2027 · Fall: Oct 21–24, 2027

A jazz weekend in a Victorian beach town, twice a year.

Where

Cape May, NJ · Convention Hall plus clubs

Getting there

Drive about 2.5–3 hours, or NJ Transit bus from Port Authority

Price

Festival passes

Music

Mainstream to modern, with second-line parades

Good for

An overnight getaway, in season or off

Spring 2026

Miles Electric Band, Ravi Coltrane, Carmen Lundy, Gary Bartz & Orrin Evans, José James

• Spring 2027 headliners are announced Nov 12.
• Book a B&B early.

CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival

Jun 18–26, 2027

Nine days, hundreds of shows, one pass. One of North America's biggest.

Where

Rochester, NY

Getting there

A bigger trip: about 5.5 hours by car or a 1-hour flight

Price

Club Pass for 170+ shows; 100+ free shows

Music

Everything, with a huge club-pass program

Good for

A full jazz vacation

2026

Gladys Knight, Trombone Shorty, Count Basie Orchestra, Chris Botti

• The Club Pass is the deal; headliners are separate tickets.

Saratoga Jazz Festival

50th edition: Jun 26–27, 2027

Two days of picnicking on the lawn, with two stages going. 2027 is the 50th.

Where

SPAC, Saratoga Springs, NY

Getting there

Amtrak about 3.5–4 hours, or drive about 3–3.5

Price

From about $89; lawn passes; kids 12 and under free on the lawn

Music

Jazz plus soul, funk and blues

Good for

A summer weekend with friends

• Two-day discount ends around mid-June.

Blue Note Jazz Festival NYC

Usually all of June· next dates not announced yet · last held June 1 – July 1, 2026

A month of special bookings at Blue Note and Sony Hall. Lots of R&B and soul too, so read the lineup.

Where

Blue Note (Greenwich Village), Sony Hall, plus a free Central Park opener

Price

Per-show tickets; free SummerStage opener

Music

A month of shows; we list the jazz ones

Good for

Big-name nights

2026 jazz highlights

Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band, Chief Adjuah, Brandee Younger, Isaiah Collier, The Bad Plus

• Only some shows are jazz; JazzNow lists those.

Vision Festival

Usually late June· next dates not announced yet · last held June 23–28, 2026

Six nights at the heart of New York's free-jazz community, now 30 years running.

Where

Abrons Arts Center, Lower East Side

Price

Single tickets or multi-show passes; livestream pass

Music

Free jazz and improvisation, with dance and poetry

Good for

Die-hards and the curious

2026

Joe Morris, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Matthew Shipp, Tomeka Reid, James Brandon Lewis

• A multi-show pass saves money.

Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz

Usually mid-July· next dates not announced yet · last held July 17–19, 2026

Three free days on the lawn in downtown Hartford.

Where

Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT

Getting there

Amtrak/CTrail to Hartford (park is next to the station), about 2.5–3 hours

Price

Free

Music

Latin and smooth-leaning

Good for

A free summer day trip

2025

Lakecia Benjamin, Michelle Coltrane, Pieces of a Dream

• Bring a blanket.

Jazzmobile Summerfest

Usually early July to September, weekly· next dates not announced yet · last held July 8 – Sept 23, 2026

Free concerts all summer, a Harlem tradition for over 60 years.

Where

Grant's Tomb (Wednesdays), Marcus Garvey Park (Fridays), plus all five boroughs

Price

Free

Music

Straight-ahead and Latin

Good for

Everyone

2026

Wycliffe Gordon, Houston Person, Jeremy Pelt, Donald Harrison, Bobby Sanabria

• Grant's Tomb is bring-your-own-chair.

Litchfield Jazz Festival

Usually last weekend of July· next dates not announced yet · last held July 24–26, 2026

A small, serious festival tied to a jazz camp, in Connecticut's hill country.

Where

Washington, CT (Litchfield Hills)

Getting there

Drive about 2 hours

Price

Ticketed

Music

Straight-ahead

Good for

Straight-ahead purists; an inn weekend

2026

Don Braden, Jimmy Greene Quintet, Steve Davis Sextet, Curtis Brothers

Tilles Jazz Fest

Usually mid-July Saturday· next dates not announced yet · last held July 18, 2026

A one-day, four-stage festival on a Long Island campus.

Where

LIU Post, Brookville, Long Island

Getting there

LIRR to Greenvale, about 50 minutes, plus a short ride

Price

Ticketed; kids 12 and under free

Music

Programmed with Jazz at Lincoln Center

Good for

Families

2026

Buena Vista Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria Octet, Bria Skonberg

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival

Usually last weekend of August· next dates not announced yet · last held August 28–30, 2026

Bird's festival: three free days in the parks of Harlem and the East Village, where he lived.

Where

Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem, and Tompkins Square Park, East Village

Price

Free

Music

Straight-ahead and post-bop

Good for

Everyone

2026

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Joshua Redman, Catherine Russell, Ravi Coltrane, Billy Hart Quartet

• Arrive early for a spot near the stage; bring a blanket or chair.

Montclair Jazz Festival

Usually mid-August to mid-September (it moves)· next dates not announced yet · last held August 15, 2026

A free day of big names on outdoor stages, run by Jazz House Kids.

Where

Montclair, NJ

Getting there

NJ Transit from Penn Station or Hoboken, about 45–60 minutes

Price

Daytime festival free; evening block party ticketed

Music

All styles, programmed by Christian McBride

Good for

Families, a free day trip

2026

Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride Big Band, Patrice Rushen, Spanish Harlem Orchestra

• Bring chairs; arrive early for stage-front space.

Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival

Usually mid-August Saturday· next dates not announced yet · last held August 15, 2026

A free noon-to-night festival on the town green.

Where

The Green, Morristown, NJ

Getting there

NJ Transit Morristown Line, about 1 hour

Price

Free

Music

Jazz and blues

Good for

A free summer day trip

2026

James Langton's NY All-Star Big Band, Richard Baratta Gotham City Latin/Jazz Septet

• Fell on the same day as Montclair in 2026.

Newport Jazz Festival

Usually last weekend of July or first weekend of August· next dates not announced yet · last held July 31 – August 2, 2026

The original American jazz festival: three stages at a seaside fort.

Where

Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

Getting there

Drive about 3–3.5 hours, or Amtrak to Kingston RI plus a cab

Price

2026: 1-day about $117, 3-day about $314; student discounts

Music

The whole spectrum, from straight-ahead to crossover

Good for

The destination weekend of the summer

2026

Herbie Hancock, Jon Batiste, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Snarky Puppy

• Sold out three years running; buy at the spring on-sale.
• Newport hotels in August are pricey; book early or stay in Providence.

NoMad Jazz Festival

Usually early August· next dates not announced yet · last held August 2–8, 2026

A week of shows in NoMad, ending with a mainstage in Madison Square Park.

Where

Madison Square Park and nearby venues, NoMad, with The Jazz Gallery

Price

Mix of free and ticketed

Music

Modern, curated with The Jazz Gallery

Good for

An after-work summer hang

Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT)

Usually September· next dates not announced yet · last held September 2026

A week of trumpet-led bands, from big names to newcomers.

Where

Venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn

Price

Ticketed

Music

New music for trumpet, co-founded by Dave Douglas

Good for

Brass heads, adventurous listeners

Inwood Jazz Festival

Usually September· next dates not announced yet · last held September 20, 2026

A free afternoon of jazz at the top of Manhattan.

Where

Inwood, Upper Manhattan

Price

Free

Music

Neighborhood festival

Good for

Families, uptown locals

BRIC JazzFest

Usually mid-October· next dates not announced yet · last held October 16–17, 2026

Two marathon nights with three stages under one roof.

Where

BRIC House, Downtown Brooklyn · 3 stages

Price

Ticketed

Music

Modern, Latin and soul-jazz

Good for

A big night out in Brooklyn

2026

Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Marcus Gilmore, Takuya Kuroda, Braxton Cook, Tyreek McDole

Hudson Jazz Festival

Usually first weekend of October· next dates not announced yet · last held October 2–4, 2026

A fall weekend in a restored 1855 opera house and around town.

Where

Hudson Hall, Hudson, NY

Getting there

Amtrak from Penn Station, about 2 hours; walk to the venues

Price

Festival pass; free pop-up sets around town

Music

Modern and Latin

Good for

A train-only foliage weekend

2026

Dafnis Prieto Sí o Sí Quartet, Vuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall, Shenel Johns

• Passes go on sale around July 1.

Orchard Street Jazz Festival

Usually late September to early October· next dates not announced yet · last held Fall 2026

A themed week of special bookings at Close Up.

Where

Close Up, Lower East Side

Price

Ticketed

Music

Modern and creative

Good for

Regulars of the downtown scene

2026

Mary Halvorson & Tomas Fujiwara