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Niagara Jazz Festival Announces 2026 Summer Festival

 

Niagara Jazz Festival Announces 2026 Summer Festival

The Niagara Jazz Festival is proud to announce the artist and presentation line-up for the 2026 Niagara Jazz Festival, taking place June 25 - 28 & July 4 - 5 in Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines.

Now celebrating its 13th year, the award-winning festival continues to showcase remarkable, compelling, multicultural, and genre-blending jazz talent in some of Niagara’s most stunning settings—from picturesque wineries to elegant jazz venues and acclaimed local eateries throughout Niagara-on-the-Lake and St. Catharines.

This year’s festival is energized by a newly appointed all-volunteer Board of Directors comprised of experienced professionals from the fields of music and festival production, media and marketing, arts organizations, legal services, education, Indigenous organizations, humanitarian programming, fundraising, and community development.

The new board is united in its commitment to preserving the festival’s artistic excellence while building a strong fiscal foundation to ensure the Niagara Jazz Festival thrives for years to come. "The Niagara Jazz Festival entered 2026 with renewed energy and excitement, committed to showcasing top-flight musical talent in the region,” said Tim Johnson, interim chair. “With curatorial excellence, Juliet Dunn has fashioned transcendent experiences for our Black History Month and International Jazz Day programs and has lined up incredible performances for our signature festival events in June and early July. As an established organization with a profound history, we are very proud of the role the Niagara Jazz Festival plays in the community," said Tim Johnson, Chair of the Niagara Jazz Festival Board of Directors.

Weekend One will take place in Niagara-on-the-Lake from June 25 to 28, 2026, and will feature concerts, vineyard performances, jazz crawls, and special events throughout the town.

Weekend Two will take place in St. Catharines and Port Dalhousie on July 4–5, 2026, featuring two vibrant days of international music and cultural celebration. On Saturday, July 4, audiences can enjoy an exciting lineup of live performances in downtown St. Catharines from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The festivities continue on Sunday, July 5, with the return of the popular World

Music on the Beach at Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie, showcasing international artists from 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The event will showcase more than 15 local, GTA, and internationally acclaimed bands, delivering an exciting blend of global music traditions—including Afrobeat, Latin, reggae, world fusion, and beyond—in a vibrant, high-energy atmosphere designed to get audiences moving. Festivalgoers can also explore a diverse selection of food and beverage vendors, artisan marketplaces, and interactive community experiences, alongside a dedicated children’s area offering fun for all ages. Set against the beautiful waterfront backdrop of sun, sand, and lakefront views, the event promises a dynamic celebration of music, culture, and community. Lots of fun for the whole family!

Featured world music artists include internationally acclaimed performers such as Keubitbit from Indonesia and Vivi Makado from the Ivory Coast, alongside an exciting roster of global musicians representing diverse musical traditions and cultures.

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Festival highlights also include:

● June 20—Soft Launch & Photography Exhibit in partnership with the Niagara Artists Centre—Concert with Cole Schmidt and Alvaro Roja / Featured Photographers: Dan Brown, Cosmo Condina, Jeff on Camera, and Ron De Fields.

● June 25 - Soul Jazz in the Vineyard featuring The Quincy Bullen Band, featuring guest vocalists Tamiya Cox and Simone Soman at Hare Wine Co.

● June 26—The festival’s flagship event, Bossa Nova in the Vineyard, featuring Duo Lab + Band: Brazilian Jazz Fusion at Reif Estate Winery

● Performances by finalists and winners from the annual Jazz 4 the Ages youth competition

●The return of two popular free performance series:

●June 27 & 28—Summer Jazz Crawl throughout various locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake venues (FREE EVENT)

● Throughout both weekends—After Hours Jazz Jams throughout various venues (FREE EVENTS)


www.niagarajazzfestival.com



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