The 2026 Biamp Portland Jazz Festival: A Celebration of Jazz Across the City

The Biamp Portland Jazz Festival returns for 2026 (March 5–14) as a comprehensive celebration of jazz performance spanning both international touring acts and Portland's vibrant local music scene. With more than 50 concerts scheduled across 30+ venues, the festival weaves itself into the fabric of the city, from concert halls to neighborhood gathering spaces.

Headliners and Featured Artists

The 2026 edition is headlined by St. Vincent, whose "genre-defying work signals an expanded musical vision for PDX Jazz." The festival also features Mavis Staples, Madeleine Peyroux, and the Bill Frisell Trio. Additional artists announced include MonoNeon with Mohini Dey, Jeff Parker IVtet with SML, Tigran Hamasyan, Cyrus Chestnut, Jarrod Lawson, Lady Blackbird, Isaiah Sharkey, Charlie Hunter Trio, Roger Eno, Brandon Woody's Upendo, Delbert Anderson, Sam Greenfield, and Cochemea.

Free Community Programming

A defining feature of the 2026 festival is its extensive free community events—more than 20 free performances throughout Portland featuring local musicians. These concerts happen across downtown hotels (The Duniway Portland, Hyatt Regency Portland, Hotel Vance, The Benson Portland, The Nines Hotel Portland, The Hoxton, Inn at Northrup Station, AC Hotel Portland Downtown, and Jupiter NEXT Portland) as well as community spaces including Rose City Book Pub, pFriem Milwaukie Tasting Room, Jack London Revue, Director Park, St. James Lutheran Church, and The Burlingame Space. Local performers include Gina Saputo Terzetto, Chris Lee's Standard Deviations Trio, Michelle Medler, Gordon Lee, Shanghai Woolies, Kerry Politzer Trio, Rivkah Ross Quartet, Ron Steen Trio, Libby Roach Duo, Mike Gamble, Eric Ernst Trio, Ben Graves Duo, Pete Petersen Trio, Rachel Brashear Duo, Doug Bundy Duo, Jack Radsliff Duo, Galen Clark Duo, Laura Cunard Trio, Mel Brown B3 Organ Group, Cheryl Alex Trio, Mike Prigodich Quartet, and Perry Thoorsell & Tim Gilson Duo, among many others. Happy-Hour Jazz events at Wilf's continue a partnership with Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble.

Portland Excellence and Special Initiatives

The festival celebrates local artistry through several special programs. Shirley Nanette has been named the 2026 Portland Jazz Master, and the First Call Artist Showcase will feature Charlie Brown III. The debut of the Stumptown Sirens Jazz Orchestra, Portland's first all-female big band led by director Jessika "Jessie" Smith, represents a significant milestone for the festival.

According to PDX Jazz Executive Director and CEO Chris Doss, "The Festival's free community events reflect our belief that jazz belongs to everyone, everywhere, — in concert halls, neighborhoods, and shared public spaces."

Why Attend

For music fans in their 20s and 30s, the 2026 festival offers multiple entry points: world-class touring performers alongside intimate local sets, many of which are free and all-ages. The distributed venue model means jazz performances happen in neighborhood spaces, cultural institutions, and hotel lounges rather than requiring attendance at a single grounds—making the festival accessible to those who want to experience a night out or a series of performances across the city. PDX Jazz also provides free educational outreach to students through programs like Jazz in the Schools and The American Refrain, connecting young audiences to jazz history and live performance.