Curated event
Monterey Jazz Festival 2026: September 25 to 27 on the Monterey Peninsula
The Monterey Jazz Festival runs from September 25 to 27, 2026, three days of jazz on multiple stages in Monterey, presented by the non-profit that has run it since 1958. Single-day tickets and three-day packages are sold by the festival, and the peninsula's rooms fill for the weekend.
- Dates: September 25–27, 2026
- Venue: Monterey Jazz Festival grounds, Monterey
- Organised by: Monterey Jazz Festival
- Admission: Ticketed
- Checked: September 11, 2026
Buy the day or the weekend you want from the festival, then base in Monterey or Pacific Grove and leave the car parked. Late September is one of the peninsula's clearest, warmest windows, so the mornings before the music belong to the coast.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Friday, September 25, 2026 | Friday |
| Saturday, September 26, 2026 | Saturday |
| Sunday, September 27, 2026 | Sunday |
Dates and hours come from the organisers' announcements and can change. Check them once more before setting out.
Official tickets and registration · Single-day tickets and three-day packages are sold by the festival.
The event
The Monterey Jazz Festival is the longest-running jazz festival in the world, presented by a non-profit organisation committed to American creativity and cultural heritage. The 2026 festival runs from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, with single-day tickets and three-day packages sold by the festival.
The grounds hold several stages, so an evening moves between headline sets and smaller rooms; the festival publishes the daily line-up on its site.
The peninsula around it
Late September is the peninsula's warm, clear season, which makes the festival mornings the best hours for Cannery Row, the aquarium and the coastal path before the music starts in the afternoon.
Monterey and Pacific Grove rooms fill for festival weekend; Carmel is a short drive and a calmer evening.
Good to know
- Three-day packages sell before single days; the Saturday is the fullest.
- Evenings on the peninsula cool quickly; bring a layer for the outdoor stages.
- Confirm the line-up, gates and parking on the festival's site in September.
Where to stay for the festival
Monterey and Pacific Grove are the walkable bases; Carmel is the quiet one. This guide frames the peninsula within the statewide choice, with live availability for your dates.
- Monterey and Cannery Row The area page with the checked places.
- Northern vs Southern California coast The statewide choice of where to stay, with live stays for your dates.
Compare bookable Monterey and Carmel activities
Festival tickets come from the festival; compare a Monterey coastal or whale-watching outing here for the mornings before the music.
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Sources and transparency: Monterey Jazz Festival: official site (2026 dates, tickets, organiser) (checked 2026-09-11) Not a paid listing. Editorial policy Full agenda