(WXYZ) — The Detroit Jazz Festival today announced the lineup and plans for the 2026 event, taking place in Downtown Detroit over Labor Day weekend.
The world's largest free jezz festival is in its 47th year, and will bring together global jazz artists, rising stars and more.
According to the Jazz Festival, this year's event will be fully centered at Hart Plaza with three stages consolidated to create a more connected environment. Previously, the festival was split among stages at Hart Plaza, in Campus Martius/Cadillac Square and at Wayne State University.
This year, Hart Plaza will feature the Carhartt Amphitheater Stage, Pyramid Stage, Absopure Waterfront Stage. Then there will be the Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University.
According to organizers, Hart Plaza will be open from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. Also, no coolers will be allowed inside Hart Plaza, a change in policy.
However, officials are reminding people that the event still remains free, with the same number of stages overall and the same number of performances.
The full schedule is below:
Friday, Sept. 4
Carhartt Amphitheater Stage
6:14 pm Dr. Valade’s Brass Band Featuring Shannon Powell
7:00 pm Miles Electric Band
9:15 pm 2026 Artist-In-Residence Joe Lovano’s Paramount Quartet, featuring Julian Lage, Asante Sante Debriano, Will Calhoun
Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University
10:45 pm Tia Fuller featuring Shamie Fuller-Royston – “Fuller Sound”
(Midtown After Hours Special)
Saturday, Sept. 5
Carhartt Amphitheater Stage
3:00 pm Jeffrey Trent
4:45 pm African Rhythms Alumni Quintet “Celebrating the Centennial of Dr. Randy Weston” T.K. Blue – saxophone/flute/musical director; Chief Baba Neil Clarke
7:00 pm Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Centennial Celebration
9:15 pm Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report
Pyramid Stage
3:15 pm Borderland Ensemble
5:00 pm Skyler Tang
6:45 pm Jill Opal and The Bill Meyer Group
8:45 pm Bob James
Absopure Waterfront Stage
2:45 pm Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra | “The Bebop Spartans” directed by Professor Rodney Whitaker
4:45 pm Vermilion Field (Takatsuki Jazz Street Representative Band)
7:00 pm Cyrille Aimée Quartet
9:00 pm Artemis
Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University
11:30 am Grosse Isle High School Jazz Band, Midland High School Jazz Band, University of Detroit Jazz Orchestra, Troy Athens High School Jazz
Band, Northview High School Jazz Ensemble
10:45 pm Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (Midtown After Hours Special)
Sunday, Sept. 6
Carhartt Amphitheater Stage
1:15 pm Downbeat Blindfold Test
3:00 pm The Search: Echoes of the Fallen, tribute to Karim Gideon
4:45 pm Gabrielle Cassava
7:00 pm 2026 Artist-In-Residence Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet:
Sound Prints Featuring: Lawrence Fields, Yasushi Nakamura and Rudy Royston
9:15 pm Take 6
Pyramid Stage
1:15 pm J.C. Heard JazzWeek All Stars
3:15 pm Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet
4:45 pm Catherine Russell
6:45 pm Sequoia “REDWOOD” Snyder and INNER KNOWING
8:45 pm Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap
Absopure Waterfront Stage
1:45 pm Wayne State University “Jazz Warriors” Big Band directed by Professor Vincent Chandler AND Wayne State University Advanced Vocal Jazz Quartet directed by Cayla Stus
3:30 pm Luca Ciarla solOrkestra
5:20 pm 2026 Legacy Artist: Jaribu Shahid Salute to the AACM
7:15 pm Instant Alter featuring Natasha Agrama Clarke and Emilio Modeste
9:10 pm Vijay Iyer Trio with special guest, Adam O’Farrill
Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University
11:30 am Taylor High School Jazz Band, Utica High School Jazz Band, Jackson Northwest High School Jazz Band, Northville High School Jazz Ensemble, Meridian High School Jazz Ensemble
10:45 pm Nduduzo Makhathini (Midtown After Hours Special)
Monday, Sept. 7
Carhartt Amphitheater Stage
2:00 pm Himiko Kikuchi Tottori Young Lions Trio
4:00 pm Cindy Blackman Santana
6:00 pm Coltrane 100 – 2026 Artist-In-Residence Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makathini, Linda May Han Oh, Jeff “Tain” Watts Both Directions at Once
Pyramid Stage
1:45 pm Teiku
3:30 pm Roberta Gambarini and the Detroit Jazz Festival Orchestra
5:15 pm Joey Alexander Trio
Absopure Waterfront Stage
12:45 pm University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble directed by Professor Kris Johnson AND University of Michigan Jazz Trombone Ensemble directed by Professor Dennis Wilson
3:00 pm The Django Festival Allstars with Special Guest Grace Kelly
5:00 pm Ron Carter & Foursight
Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University
11:30 am Detroit Public Schools Community District Jazz Showcase + Tottori Jazz Mission International Jam
