NEWPORT, R.I. — More than seven decades after some of the biggest names in jazz first gathered in Newport, the 2026 Newport Jazz Festival returned this weekend for its 72nd edition. The festival continues a musical tradition that began in 1954.
This year’s event was held July 31 through Aug. 2 at Fort Adams State Park. It also marked the beginning of a new era. Grammy-winning drummer and bandleader Nate Smith became the festival’s artistic director, succeeding Christian McBride after a decade in the role.
2026 lineup featured legendary and contemporary artists
The 2026 festival brought together jazz legends, rising stars, and artists whose music spans jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and rock.
Performers included Herbie Hancock, Jon Batiste, Kamasi Washington, Chief Adjuah, Vulfpeck, Thundercat, Gary Clark Jr., Lake Street Dive, Robert Glasper featuring Bilal and Ari Lennox, Leon Thomas, Little Simz, Sienna Spiro, Snarky Puppy, Cory Wong, and Flea.
One of the weekend’s featured performances united Kamasi Washington and Chief Adjuah in a tribute celebrating the 100th anniversary of the births of jazz legends Miles Davis and John Coltrane, both born in 1926.
More than 70 years after Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillespie helped establish the festival, Newport continues to bring together legendary performers and the next generation of musicians.
A tradition that began in 1954
The Newport Jazz Festival was founded by jazz impresario George Wein with the support of Newport philanthropists Elaine and Louis Lorillard. The Lorillards approached Wein, who owned Boston’s Storyville jazz club, about bringing live jazz to Newport. Instead, Wein proposed creating an entire festival dedicated to the genre.
The inaugural Newport Jazz Festival was held July 17 and 18, 1954, at the Newport Casino. More than 13,000 people attended the event, which featured legendary performers including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dizzy Gillespie.
Historic performances through the decades
Over the years, Newport has hosted some of the most memorable performances in jazz history.
Miles Davis’ appearance at the festival in 1955 helped revive his career. A year later, Duke Ellington delivered what many consider one of the greatest performances of his career. Ellington later said he was “born at Newport.”
The festival has since welcomed generations of influential artists, including Nina Simone, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Aretha Franklin. Over time, its programming expanded beyond traditional jazz to include elements of gospel, R&B, rock, and other genres.
Although the festival has experienced changes over the decades, it found a lasting home at Fort Adams State Park, where thousands of music fans continue to gather each summer along Newport Harbor.
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