Exit Zero Spring Jazz Festival — Cape May

Exit Zero Jazz Festival opened its spring 2026 run in Cape May on Friday, with performances scheduled across Cape May Convention Hall, Carney’s and other venues through Sunday, May 17. The festival’s official site lists national touring acts including Ravi Coltrane, José James, Walter Smith III, Carmen Lundy and the Orrin Evans Trio. Festival headquarters are based at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Avenue, where the event’s box office and pass pickup are operating through the weekend. ### Which artists are on the spring 2026 bill? The festival’s lineup page lists Walter Smith III on Friday, May 15, followed later that night by “The Miles Davis Centennial Celebration with the Miles Electric Band” at Cape May Convention Hall. The same page lists Edgardo Cintron performing music associated with Tito Puente on Friday in both the hall and the hall’s deck stage area. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) Saturday, May 16, is billed around José James’ “Facing East, The Music of John Coltrane,” plus sets by the Orrin Evans Trio with Gary Bartz, Robert Hurst and Jeff “Tain” Watts, Carmen Lundy and Will Calhoun’s Mali Project. The lineup also includes Sarah Hanahan, Ekep Nkwelle, Davina and the Vagabonds, Bloco Funk and the U.S. Navy Band Commodores, which the festival lists as a free show. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) Sunday, May 17, is scheduled to feature Ravi Coltrane and the Jeremy Pelt Quintet at Cape May Convention Hall, with additional club performances by Rev Chris & Les Garçons Crasseux, Hoppin’ John Orchestra and Eddie Morgan Rek’d 4 Jazz. The festival site lists some artists in multiple rooms and time slots over the weekend rather than in a single headline set. ### Where in Cape May is the festival happening? (exitzerojazzfestival.com) Cape May Convention Hall is serving as “Festival Central,” according to the event’s home page and ticketing page. The site says box office sales, festival pass pickup and information services are based there during the weekend, with posted hours of noon to 10 p.m. on May 15, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on May 16 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 17. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) Carney’s Main Room, Carney’s Other Room, Clemans Theater for the Arts and the Cape May Convention Hall Deck Stage are also listed as active festival venues. The Eventbrite listing says the spring edition combines main-stage performances in Convention Hall with outdoor stages, bars and club venues around town. ### How are passes and ticket access set up? The festival’s ticket page lists a three-day VIP pass at $281 at the festival box office beginning May 15 and a three-day general admission pass at $231. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) The same page lists a three-day “Festival Club Pass” at $76, covering first-come, first-served access to Carney’s Main Room, Carney’s Other Room, Clemans Theater for the Arts and the Convention Hall Deck Stage. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) Single-day prices on the ticket page are listed at $126 for Friday, Saturday or Sunday VIP passes and $101 for Friday or Saturday general admission passes shown in the available excerpt. The Eventbrite listing separately says $5 from each festival pass goes to the nonprofit Cape May Jazz Festival Foundation. ### Who is behind the festival? The festival website says the event is presented under the Cape May Jazz Festival Foundation, Inc. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) The foundation page says Orrin Evans serves as president and says more than 2,000 students of all ages participated in its music education outreach in fiscal 2025. The foundation’s materials describe the festival as part of a broader education and outreach effort tied to jazz, blues and folk programming. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) A separate opening-night page says proceeds support the foundation’s music education initiatives. ### What is still ahead this weekend? Saturday’s remaining headliners include José James at 9 p.m. in Cape May Convention Hall and the Orrin Evans Trio at 7 p.m., according to the lineup page. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) The same listing shows club and deck-stage sets continuing through the evening at Carney’s and other venues. Sunday, May 17, is scheduled to close with Jeremy Pelt at 12:30 p.m., Ravi Coltrane at 2:45 p.m. and Hoppin’ John Orchestra at Carney’s Main Room later in the day. (exitzerojazzfestival.com) The festival home page also lists the next Cape May edition for October 23-25, 2026. (exitzerojazzfestival.com)