Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap Duo, Robert Glasper and Paquito D’Rivera to headline 2026 Chicago Jazz Festival
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced the main stage lineup for the 2026 Chicago Jazz Festival, presented by Wells Fargo, taking place Thursday, Sept. 3, through Sunday, Sept. 6, at Millennium Park. The beloved Labor Day weekend tradition returns with four days of free performances featuring internationally acclaimed artists, celebrated Chicago musicians and rising talent.
WDCB will again serve as a major media sponsor for the festival, which will include additional performances Friday through Sunday of the fest weekend on daytime stages with artist lineups yet to be announced. Festival goers will enjoy the return of the WDCB Jazz Lounge, an intimate performance space featuring local jazz artists and emerging talent in a relaxed setting that celebrates Chicago’s vibrant jazz community.
“Chicago’s jazz legacy continues to shape the sound of music around the world, and the Chicago Jazz Festival is a celebration of the creativity, artistry and cultural spirit that define our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This annual tradition brings together residents and visitors for unforgettable performances while honoring the generations of musicians who have made Chicago a global destination for jazz.”
“The Chicago Jazz Festival remains one of the city’s most treasured cultural traditions,” said DCASE Commissioner Kenya K. Merritt. “After an incredible roster of citywide programming that reflected Chicago’s jazz legacy for International Jazz Day, this year’s lineup showcases the incredible depth and diversity of jazz.”
Produced by DCASE and programmed in partnership with the Jazz Institute of Chicago (JIC) and the Chicago Jazz Festival Committee, the Chicago Jazz Festival continues its tradition as one of the world’s premier free jazz festivals, spotlighting the city’s rich musical heritage while showcasing the evolving landscape of jazz.
The 2026 festival features an acclaimed slate of headliners at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, including Grammy Award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater performing with acclaimed pianist Bill Charlap on opening night, genre-defying pianist and producer Robert Glasper, M.E.B. (Miles Electric Band) celebrating the Miles Davis Centennial, and Grammy-winning clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera. Glasper will also kick off the festival on Thursday, Sept. 3, with a riveting “Music to Movies Scoring Master Class”.
Additional performance details will be announced at a later date. For more information, please visit ChicagoJazzFestival.us and Chicago.gov/DCASE.
2026 Chicago Jazz Festival Schedule
Thursday September 3 through Sunday, September 6
Schedule is subject to change.
Thursday, September 3
Millennium Park – Jay Pritzker Pavilion
6-6:15pm – 2 Brown Sisters: Maggie and Africa Brown
6:30-7:30pm – Joel Ross Good Vibes
7:45-9pm – Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap Duo
Friday, September 4
Millennium Park – Jay Pritzker Pavilion
4-4:45pm – The Jo Ann Daugherty Trio with special guest, Henry Johnson
5:05-6:05pm – Luciano Antonio Quintet
6:25-7:25pm. – Innovations & Lineage: The Chicago Project featuring Dee Alexander, Corey Wilkes, Isaiah Collier, Paul Cornish, Jonathan Pinson, and Emma Dayhuff
7:45-9pm – Robert Glasper
Saturday, September 5
Millennium Park – Jay Pritzker Pavilion
4-4:45pm – Prodigio Claudio
5:05-6:05pm – Patricia Brennan Septet
6:25-7:25pm – Paul Marinaro's “Mood Ellington”
7:45-9pm – M.E.B. (Miles Electric Band) celebrating The Miles Davis Centennial
Sunday, September 6
Millennium Park – Jay Pritzker Pavilion
4-4:45pm – Bruce Henry Quintet
5:05-6:05pm – Isaiah Collier: “COLLIER plays COLTRANE”
6:25-7:25pm – Bethany Pickens Soulful Coalition
7:45-9pm – Paquito D’Rivera
