Atlanta Jazz Festival — Free Memorial Day Concerts

The 49th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival opens Saturday, May 23, in Piedmont Park, with three days of free concerts scheduled through Memorial Day, May 25. The City of Atlanta and the festival’s official website describe it as one of the country’s largest free jazz festivals. Performances are scheduled daily from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., while the festival grounds are set to operate from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. ### When does the festival start, and what does “free” actually cover? May 23-25 are the festival dates listed by Atlanta Jazz Festival and the City of Atlanta for the 2026 event in Midtown’s Piedmont Park. The festival website says the event is free and open to the public, with no general-admission ticket required. Piedmont Park is the named site for all three main festival days, according to the official schedule. (atlantaga.gov) The city’s release says the Memorial Day weekend program runs Saturday through Monday, with live music beginning each afternoon and continuing into the evening. ### Who is on the 2026 lineup? Saturday’s May 23 bill includes Buddy Red at 1 p.m., aja monet at 3 p.m., Nate Smith at 5 p.m., Christian McBride & Ursa Major at 7 p.m. and Kamasi Washington at 9 p.m., according to the festival website. (atljazzfest.com) Sunday’s May 24 lineup lists Cleveland P. Jones, Myron McKinley Trio, Donnie – The Colored Section, Esperanza Spalding and The Roots. Monday’s May 25 schedule closes with Cody Matlock, Nicole Zuraitis, Destin Conrad, Butcher Brown and PJ Morton. (atlantaga.gov) Adriane Jefferson, executive director of the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, said in the city release that the 2026 program mixes national and local talent across traditional, smooth, contemporary, hip-hop, R&B, soul, funk and modern jazz. Jefferson said the festival “open[s] with an Atlanta artist” and “close[s] with an artist whose career first blossomed here in Atlanta.” (atljazzfest.com) ### What else is happening besides the main-stage concerts? The festival website lists “Jazz 101” workshops from acclaimed jazz artists as part of the 2026 programming. The site also promotes a Late Night Jazz Jam at the Fox Theatre’s Marquee Club as a separate ticketed event tied to the weekend. May programming extends beyond the park. (atlantaga.gov) The festival website says its “31 Days of Jazz” series runs throughout the month, with partner events across metro Atlanta at venues including rooftops, galleries, museums and restaurants. ### Who is producing and backing the event? The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs is identified on the festival website as the producer of the Atlanta Jazz Festival. (atljazzfest.com) The site also says the event is funded through corporate sponsorships and Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc., a nonprofit organization tied to preserving the festival’s legacy. Design Essentials is listed as presenting sponsor and Bank of America as the event’s supporting corporate backer in the city release and on the festival announcement page. Cornell McBride, chief executive of Design Essentials, said in the festival announcement that the company was supporting the event for a third straight year. Al McRae, president of Bank of America Atlanta, said the bank backed the festival as part of its arts support in the city. (atljazzfest.com) ### Where can people check the latest schedule before heading to Piedmont Park? Atlanta Jazz Festival directs visitors to its official website for lineup updates, artist information and the broader May calendar. The homepage lists the day-by-day schedule, artist bios, playlists and related events tied to the 2026 festival weekend. (atlantaga.gov) May 22 is the last full day before the park concerts begin, and the official site already lists the Saturday opener in Piedmont Park and a pre-festival kickoff concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall. The main festival begins Saturday, May 23, in Piedmont Park and continues through Monday night with PJ Morton scheduled in the final 9 p.m. slot. (atljazzfest.com)