JAZZ is the sound of FREEDOM finding its voice.   To commemorate America’s semiquincentennial, the 17th annual MONTCLAIR JAZZ  FESTIVAL produced by JAZZ HOUSE KiDS will celebrate the  jazz cities that shape our culture and tell our national story.  “Jazz was born in New Orleans and raised in New York City, but along the way it made many stops where it grew, and continues to grow today. The cities that we’re spotlighting at this summer’s festival are among the most important cities in the...

The 17th annual MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL kicks off with five Tuesday evening Soundcheck Series concerts starting in June and culminates with the all-day Downtown Jamboree + Block Party on Saturday, August 15, 2026 The 17th annual MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL has been selected by the Smithsonian Institution as a collaborating festival to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. For this occasion, the Smithsonian is taking its oldest and largest public event—the annual Folklife...

click through to