DC JazzFest Is One Week Away
By • August 27, 2026 0 417
Five-day festival brings jazz legends, rising stars and hometown talent to venues across Washington, D.C.
The 22nd annual DC JazzFest returns Sept. 2 through 6, bringing five days of performances by celebrated jazz masters, international artists and emerging musicians to venues across the District.
The festival opens Wednesday, Sept. 2, at The Hamilton Live with the JazzDC All-Stars Orchestra, directed by saxophonist Paul Carr. Special guests include Grammy-nominated vocalist Christie Dashiell and NEA Jazz Master Jason Marsalis, a drummer and vibraphonist from New Orleans’s famed Marsalis family.
On Thursday, Sept. 3, a free afternoon and evening of music at Anthem Row will feature Richmond’s genre-bending Butcher Brown, D.C. saxophonist Marshall Keys and bassist Corcoran Holt, a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Additional concerts will take place at the Kreeger Museum and other venues around the city.
Friday’s programming includes the festival’s second annual Organ Summit at Westminster Presbyterian Church, celebrating the Hammond B-3 tradition, as well as a performance by vocalist Heidi Martin at the historic Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill.
The festival culminates Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6, with DC JazzFest at The Wharf. Performances will take place from noon to 10 p.m. along the waterfront and inside Arena Stage, Union Stage and Pearl Street Warehouse.
This year’s headliners include NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater, the Joshua Redman Quartet, Bill Frisell Trio, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Nate Smith, Danilo Pérez Trio and Kurt Elling performing with Yellowjackets in celebration of Weather Report.
The lineup also shines a spotlight on the Washington region’s musical legacy. D.C. bassist Ben Williams, vocalist Ekep Nkwelle, pianist and 2026 artist-in-residence Janelle Gill, saxophonist Marshall Keys and numerous other DMV artists are scheduled to perform.
Among the festival’s special programs are Isaiah Collier’s tribute to John Coltrane, an African Rhythms Alumni Quintet celebration of the centennial of pianist Randy Weston and a closing performance by the Chuck Brown Band with NEA Jazz Master “Big Chief” Donald Harrison — bringing together jazz and D.C.’s homegrown go-go sound.
Families can also take part in free children’s concerts, student showcases, interactive activities and a jazz-themed scavenger hunt at The Wharf. “Meet the Artist” conversations at Arena Stage will give audiences opportunities to hear musicians discuss their creative lives and the continuing evolution of jazz.
“This is jazz at its fullest expression — legendary artists, bold new voices and the unmistakable sound of our city,” said DC Jazz Festival President and CEO Sunny Sumter.
DC JazzFest runs Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 6. Some events are free, while tickets or upgraded passes are required for selected performances and indoor venues. For the complete schedule, lineup and official tickets, visit dcjazzfest.org.
