The Newport Jazz Festival on Tuesday unveiled its 2026 lineup, with specially priced three-day passes going on sale at 1 p.m. ET for 48 hours only.
The 72nd annual festival returns to Fort Adams State Park from July 31 to Aug. 2, following three consecutive sellouts. It is produced by the Newport Festivals Foundation.
This year marks the debut of virtuoso drummer, producer, and bandleader Nate Smith as the festival’s artistic director. Smith takes over the role from Christian McBride, who held it for a decade, and from founder George Wein before him.
Herbie Hancock headlines a bill that also features Vulfpeck, Jonathan Batiste Trios, Thundercat, Gary Clark Jr., Lake Street Dive, Robert Glasper featuring Bilal and Ari Lennox, Little Simz, Arlo Parks, Snarky Puppy, and Smith himself. A special anniversary set, “Celebrating 100 Years of Coltrane & Miles,” will feature Kamasi Washington and Chief Adjuah honoring two Newport alumni.
Other performers include Cory Wong with Joshua Redman, Flea and the Honora Band, Leon Thomas, Sienna Spiro, Mei Semones, Celeste, the Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet featuring Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier and Kweku Sumbry, John Scofield and Dave Holland, Anoushka Shankar, Lalah Hathaway, Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, the Bad Plus on its farewell tour, Atomic Habitz featuring Marcus King, Chris Dave and MonoNeon, and Angine de Poitrine making its U.S. debut.
Also on the bill: Bernard Purdie & Friends, Butcher Brown, the Dip, Gotts Street Park, Dana and Alden, Charlie Hunter and Ella Feingold, the Billy Hart Quartet, Maya Delilah, SML, Mohini Dey, the Linda May Han Oh Trio with Ambrose Akinmusire and Tyshawn Sorey, Marquis Hill, Braxton Cook, GENA, Olive Jones, Michael Mayo, Tia Fuller featuring Shamie Fuller Royston, Nduduzo Makhathini, the Sullivan Fortner Trio, Brandon Woody’s Upendo, Fonville x Fribush, Chicago Underground Duo and Concurrence.
A limited number of discounted three-day tickets go on sale at 1 p.m. Tuesday on a first-come, first-served basis for $278.10, including fees. All remaining ticket types go on sale Thursday, April 23, at 1 p.m. ET through DICE.
General admission three-day weekend passes are $314.15, limited three-day student tickets are $189.52, single-day tickets are $117.42, and single-day student tickets are $63.86. Three-day parking is $90.64 and single-day parking is $33.99.
The festival is again offering the Jazz Lounge ticket at $1,514.10 for three days, which includes a separate festival entrance, a premium parking space, and access to a tented lounge on the North Lawn near the Fort Stage with seating, Wi-Fi, a private cash bar, live-view monitors and air-conditioned restrooms, along with panoramic views of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay.
Student tickets are available to those ages 10 to 25. College students must present a student photo ID; middle and high school students do not need ID. All students must enter through the student gate. Children 9 and under are admitted free, except in the Jazz Lounge, with a limit of two children per ticketed adult.
Organizers urged fans to avoid secondary-market sellers and to buy only through official Newport Jazz sources. All tickets are mobile through DICE.
The Newport Festivals Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to create moments of hope through music and community. Beyond producing the Newport Jazz and Newport Folk festivals, the foundation supports music education and artist relief programs, including free private lessons, instrument donations, and summer camps in Newport, and, through its Artist Gives initiative, has awarded more than 197 grants to music education programs in more than 35 states since 2018.
More information is available at newportjazz.org.
