The 2026 Jacksonville Jazz Festival will return to Downtown Jacksonville over Memorial Day weekend, May 21-24. With an impressive lineup of award-winning performers, the festival will bring music lovers from across the nation to Jacksonville. In light of all the exciting developments downtown and throughout the city, this year’s free jazz festival will be held at Ford on Bay, 288 E. Bay Street.
The Ford on Bay Stage, presented by Publix Super Markets, features free performances, with Premium Experiences presented by Jacksonville Aviation Authority. The 2026 Jazz Fest Ford on Bay stage artists include Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, Ghost-Note, Andra Day, esperanza spalding, Sheila E. & the E-Train, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Kamasi Washington, Moonchild, and many more.
In addition to the Ford on Bay Stage, presented by Publix Super Markets, the 2026 festival introduces a brand-new stage experience, Jazz in the Plaza, set right in the heart of Riverfront Plaza. All weekend, local jazz and R&B artists take the stage, delivering the authentic sound and soul of Northeast Florida’s music community. With additional food vendors on-site and a free, all-ages atmosphere, Jazz in the Plaza is the perfect complement to the Ford on Bay headliner stage.
The festival begins on Thursday, May 21, with the cherished Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition presented by Yamaha at The Florida Theatre. For over thirty years, this event has remained one of the most thrilling musical spectacles around. This year, the five finalists, selected by a blind panel of judges, are Quintin Harris, Max Holm, Ian McCune, Rowan Tucker-Meyer, and Christian Valdes. The winner of the competition will perform at the festival on the Ford on Bay Stage presented by Publix Super Markets.
The 2026 Jacksonville Jazz Festival Commemorative Poster, designed by graphic designer and illustrator Lindsey Overstreet, will be available for purchase both online and at the festival.
For more details about this year’s festival, including the comprehensive four-day event schedule, visit the Jacksonville Jazz Festival social media channels, @JacksonvilleJazzFestival on Facebook and @jaxjazzfest on Instagram, and the festival website at jacksonvillejazzfest.com.
