Everything You Need To Know About the Vancouver Jazz Festival 2026
Vancouver’s favourite summer tradition is coming back! Coastal Jazz has unveiled the first wave of shows for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival 2026, running from June 19 to July 5. This festival is one of the largest annual events in Vancouver, drawing over 100,000 attendees each year.
Live music will take over venues across Vancouver and the North Shore, with dozens of events spotlighting international jazz stars and exceptional local talent. The festival will include a mix of free performances and big-ticket events, showcasing the genre's incredible diversity and innovation. For the past 40 years, it’s been a favourite among events in the city, and this year’s lineup promises even more incredible music and unparalleled summer vibes.
Where will the Vancouver International Jazz Festival 2026 take place?
The Vancouver Jazz Festival 2026 will take place at venues across the city and the North Shore. Free events include the return of the wildly popular Downtown Jazz series, with concerts taking place outside the Vancouver Art Gallery from June 27–28.
Granville Island will be another major festival hub, as well as downtown theatres, clubs, and venues across the North Shore. New festival locations in 2026 include The Hollywood Theatre and The Birdhouse.
Who is headlining the Vancouver International Jazz Festival 2026?
The full list of headliners is still to come, but Coastal Jazz has unveiled the first wave of international stars and local legends set to perform at this year’s festival. This initial lineup highlights global talent alongside local artists featured in the Performance Works Series, which delivers five nights of programming showcasing top local talent.
Tomoki Sanders with Guests Todd Stewart Trio
Tomoki Sanders is a boundary-pushing artist exploring Great Black Music, urban music, electronic, and the avant-garde. A member of the new generation of New York’s musicians, Tomoki’s music reflects their dual Afro-Amerian and Japanese heritage and non-binary identity.
Location: The Birdhouse, Vancouver
Date: June 25 at 8:00 PM
Price: $38 plus service fees
The Ex with Guests Grdina/Lillinger
The Ex has been a pillar of the international jazz community since emerging from the punk and squat movements of the late 1970s. But don’t expect a nostalgia-inducing performance from this group. The Ex is focused on the future, constantly genre-bending, evolving, and reinventing their sound.
Location: The Hollywood, Vancouver
Date: June 26 at 7:00 PM
Price: $45 plus service fees
Keyon Harrold “Foreverland and Songs for Miles”
Keyon Harrold is a Grammy Award-winning trumpeter, vocalist, and producer, blending jazz, hip-hop, and soul music. On his Grammy-nominated album Foreverland, he collaborated with musical greats like Robert Glasper and PJ Morton.
Location: Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver
Date: June 30, at 7:30 PM
Price: $45-65 plus service fees
Isaiah Collier “Collier Plays Coltrane”
Self-described “Sonic Scientist” Isaiah Collier is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator pushing jazz forward with bold creativity and improvisation. After a standout performance at the 2023 Jazz Festival with his ensemble The Chosen Few, he’s excited to return and share his unique sound this summer.
Location: Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver
Date: July 1, at 7:30 PM
Price: $45-$65 plus service fees
Voodoo: The Music of D’Angelo
Voodoo: The Music of D’Angelo is a musical tribute to neo-soul icon D’Angelo, whose work helped redefine modern R&B, soul, pop, and jazz. Alongside legendary music collection, The Soulquarians, he shaped a genre-blurring sound that continues to influence artists like H.E.R., Frank Ocean, and countless more.
Location: Performance Works, Vancouver
Date: July 1, at 7:30 PM
Price: $35 plus service fees
MA:Q + Sharon Minemoto Quartet
MA:Q + Sharon Minmoto Quartet is a Vancouver-based project blending modern jazz with funk, hip-hop, and Afrobeat. Pianist Sharon Minemoto presents deeply personal compositions reflecting her family’s experience as Japanese Canadians during WWII. Together they’ll share a performance rooted in history, resilience, and storytelling.
Location: Performance Works, Vancouver
Date: July 2, at 7:30 PM
Price: $35 plus service fees
Cellar Live 25th Anniversary: Cory Weeds Little Big Band ft. Jerry Weldon & Noah Franche-Nolan Trio
A driving force of the city’s jazz scene, Cory Weeds is a tenor saxophonist keeping the flame of straight-ahead jazz burning bright. He’ll bring together an all-star lineup of musicians to the stage, delivering a mix of classic cuts and new material.
Location: Performance Works, Vancouver
Date: July 3, at 7:30 PM
Price: $35 plus service fees
Haleluya Hailu plays Ethiopia, directed by Feven Kidane
Blending their Ethiopian heritage with contemporary flair, Haleluya Hailu and Feven Kidane will join forces for a culturally rich performance at the festival this summer.
Location: Performance Works, Vancouver
Date: July 4, at 7:30 PM
Price: $35 plus service fees
Stranger Friends Orchestra feat. Fredrik Ljungkvist
This collaboration brings together rising stars of the Vancouver scene with a standout of Scandinavian jazz. Stranger Friends Orchestra ft. Fredrik Ljungkvist will deliver a bold, genre-blurring performance rooted in creativity and collaboration.
Location: Performance Works, Vancouver
Date: July 5, at 7:30 PM
Price: $35 plus service fees
Grab your tickets and join us this June and July for 17 days of incredible music and summer vibes. While the Vancouver Jazz Festival is a standout of the season, there are plenty more cultural summer festivals in Vancouver to explore and make the most of your time in the city.
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