Memorial Day weekend is a time for throwing something on the grill, going to the beach, attending a parade or block party and carrying on with family and friends. However, if you’re in or near Atlanta (or interested in traveling there), the only thing that needs to be on your radar that holiday weekend is the annual Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Now in its 49th year, the 2026 Atlanta Jazz Festival is coming in hot from Saturday, May 23rd through Monday, May 25th to welcome the unofficial start of summer with three days of live music in Piedmont Park. The headliners for this year’s festival are PJ Morton, Kamasi Washington and The Roots, who lead a stacked lineup centered on jazz artists.
Setting it off on day one of the festival will be up-and-coming blues artist Buddy Red, the stage name of Atlanta music royalty Messiah Harris who has joined his father T.I. and siblings Zonnique, Domani, King Harris and Heiress Harris in the recording industry. Subsequent performers on Saturday include spoken word artist aja monet, GRAMMY Award-winning drummer extraordinaire Nate Smith and 11-time GRAMMY Award-winning bassist Christian McBride and the jazz ensemble Ursa Major. Rounding out the first day of performances will be headliner Kamasi Washington playing his world-famous saxophone.
Opening day two of the festival will be vocalist Cleveland P. Jones, who’ll be followed by the jazz fusion outfit Myron McKinley Trio. Singer-songwriter Donnie will emerge for a very special commemorative performance of his acclaimed debut album The Colored Section. Bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding will be the calm before the storm as she precedes night two headliner The Roots, who are guaranteed to shut Sunday down with a high-energy set.
Memorial Day will be the third and final day of the festival, and it plans to end on a high note. Kicking off the day will be singers and songwriters Cody Matlock and Nicole Zuraitis. Following their sets, R&B singer turned jazz darling DESTIN CONRAD will bring his wHIMSY! and more to the stage. The good vibes and great music will keep coming from jazz and hip-hop fusion band Butcher Brown. Last but certainly not least, PJ Morton will shut the festival down as only the Live Show Killer can.
The best part of the 2026 Atlanta Jazz Festival is that all of this world-class entertainment is free. That’s right, as always, there is no cost to attend the festival, which is being presented by Design Essentials and powered by Bank of America this year. Patrons do have the option to purchase VIP upgrades with exclusive access, amenities and perks, however.
In addition to the festival itself, there are several supplemental events and programs, including a Friday Kick-Off Concert, Late Night Jazz Jam, Jazz 101 Workshops and the 31 Days of Jazz series throughout May. Visit the Atlanta Jazz Festival website for more information and everything you need to know.
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