The NoMad Jazz Festival returns August 2–8, 2026, for its second annual celebration of jazz, community, and culture in New York City.
Produced by The NoMad Alliance in partnership with The Jazz Gallery, Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and Madison Square Park Conservancy, the Festival brings together internationally acclaimed artists, emerging talent, students, local businesses, and audiences of all ages for a week of performances across NoMad.
Festival Week features free performances throughout the neighborhood from August 2–8 at restaurants, retail stores, public spaces, and cultural venues. The celebration culminates with two days of free Mainstage performances in Madison Square Park on Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8.
From intimate neighborhood performances to world-class concerts, the NoMad Jazz Festival showcases the creativity, diversity, and community spirit that define both jazz and NoMad.
The 2026 Mainstage lineup in Madison Square Park features acclaimed artists from across the jazz spectrum, including:
Family programming includes student performances by the South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts, Swing-Along with Allegra Levy & Friends, and family activities throughout the weekend.
The inaugural NoMad Jazz Festival was an only-in-NoMad community event and a milestone — celebrating The Jazz Gallery’s 30th anniversary and the neighborhood’s storied musical history, from NoMad’s Tin Pan Alley to the birth of the Great American Songbook.
The festival honored the district’s past while also spotlighting its future. NoMad has long been a home for groundbreaking artists — and in summer 2025, jazz returned to its roots, giving the next generation of talent a platform to shine.
Jazz can be experienced throughout NoMad. Free performances take place at restaurants, retail stores, public spaces, and other locations throughout the neighborhood. The lineup features established artists and emerging voices performing in settings that bring audiences closer to the music. Check NoMad Jazz Festival Calendar of Events for details.
The Festival also presents The NoMad Jazz Festival Concert Series throughout the summer, a mix of free and ticketed performances in NoMad including:
Jazz on The NoMad Piazza
Jazz on The NoMad Piazza, a free outdoor concert series along Broadway between 25th and 26th Streets, curated by guitarist Matt Chertkoff.
Concert Series at Baruch Performing Arts Center
Concert Series at Baruch Performing Arts Center (ticketed) at Engelman Recital Hall at Baruch Performing Arts Center with performances curated by Rio Sakairi.
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo: El Arte del Bolero
June 1, 2026
Roy Hargrove Big Band
July 6, 2026
Bill Frisell & Ambrose Akinmusire
August 3, 2026
First Fridays! at The Jazz Gallery
First Fridays! at The Jazz Gallery, (ticketed) presented by The Jazz Gallery.
Ticket sales support the continued growth of the NoMad Jazz Festival and help sustain free public programming.
Throughout Mainstage weekend, visitors can enjoy food and beverages from participating neighborhood restaurants and businesses, including festival sponsor partners and local favorites.
The Festival also features family activities, cultural programming, face painting, bubbles, balloons, and interactive experiences designed to welcome audiences of all ages.
VIP ticket packages offer reserved seating, exclusive Festival merchandise, and additional benefits, while NoMad Jazz Festival merchandise sales help support future programming and keep the music free for everyone.
The NoMad Jazz Festival celebrates the neighborhood’s rich musical heritage while supporting the future of jazz.
From Tin Pan Alley and the Great American Songbook to today’s leading artists and emerging talent, NoMad has played an important role in the story of American music. NoMad Jazz Festival honors that legacy by creating opportunities for artists and audiences to connect through live performance.
The Festival is built on the belief that world-class arts programming should be accessible, welcoming, and connected to the community it serves.
Created and produced by The NoMad Alliance, which is celebrating its 15th year and is dedicated to an ever-better NoMad, four community partners collaborated to make this event possible as only these organizations could:
Special thanks to our 2026
The inaugural NoMad Jazz Festival launched in 2025 with Festival Week from August 3–8, featuring 21 music events across 15 locations throughout NoMad and Flatiron and showcasing 93 artists.
The celebration culminated in a free two-day festival in Madison Square Park featuring performances by by Lizz Wright, Ravi Coltrane, Roy Hargrove Big Band, The Brandee Younger Trio, Michael Mayo, Dabin Ryu Trio, Arta Jēkabsone, Caracas Trio and Melissa Almaguer. Family programming included The KongoNola Project presented by Goussy Celestin’s Ayita Brass, Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats, ABCirque, and cultural programming with Asase Yaa.
More than 2,500 festival attendees and over 60,000 park visitors each day experienced a weekend of music, family programming, and community engagement. The NoMad Jazz Festival achieved record-breaking attendance for a public program in Madison Square Park and established a strong foundation for future growth.
The NoMad Jazz Festival has quickly established itself as one of New York City’s most inclusive, dynamic cultural events, powered by community collaboration and creativity. Building on that success, the NoMad Jazz Festival returns with expanded programming, additional performances, and new opportunities to experience jazz throughout the neighborhood.
Check back for updates as plans unfold. The next chapter of jazz in NoMad is just getting started.
