It’s a crazy world we’re living in, so right now we need to be enjoying the things that are not just good, but great about this beautiful planet we live on. The editors of DownBeat suggest treating yourself to one of the amazing, jazz, blues or seriously improvised music festivals happening here on Earth.
Click on the cover of our 2026 Festival Guide below and dive into a glimpse of 126 great festivals happening between now and the end of the year.
Remote, romantic places or a good day-drive away, there’s something fantastic for everyone in the following pages. Of special note are the three festivals highlighted with articles in this guide. The NN North Sea Jazz Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer and it will be the jazz party to end all jazz parties over in Rotterdam. The Syracuse Jazz Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary with beautiful new digs tucked into the hills of Upstate New York. And here’s a border crossing we can all endorse: The San Diego Tijuana Jazz Festival presents its third annual event crossing not only borders, but tearing down cultural barriers with the most powerful force on Earth — jazz!
If you’re jonesing for a bit of classic nostalgia, tributes to Miles Davis and John Coltrane will be abundant on tour this summer in celebration of the 100th birthdays of both of those legendary figures.
Marcus Miller leads a We Want Miles! Tour. MEB (formerly Miles Electric Band) kicks it out with a cast of Miles Davis alumni and special guests. Saxophonist Isaiah Collier is touring a tribute to John Coltrane that slayed the audience at Big Ears in March. Ravi Coltrane, the son of John and Alice, will celebrate his father’s music with the help of Terence Blanchard. And Bobby Previte’s Pocket Orchestra will be channeling Bitches Brew on the circuit this summer. That’s just to name a few. There will be many more.
If you’re a fan of the avant garde, try Edgefest in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Vision Fest in New York City or the Guelph Jazz Festival in Canada. Need something kid-friendly? Try the Mitrovica International Jazz Days in Kosovo, Tallinn International Festival Jazzkaar in Estonia, Port Hope Jazz Festival in Canada or the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival in Massachusetts.
But “in” or “out,” young or old, you’ll find something to love in these pages, and we hope you find yourself on a good road trip.
It’s festival season, y’all. Let’s drink it in and dance it out! DB
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