Savannah Jazz Festival 2026: Dates, Lineup & What to Expect

Savannah Jazz Festival is the free, three-day event that turns Forsyth Park into an outdoor concert hall every September. The short answer: the 45th annual festival runs Wednesday through Sunday, September 18-20, 2026, with the main free performances landing on Saturday and Sunday under the oaks in Forsyth Park, plus additional ticketed and venue-based programming earlier in the week. Organizers expect more than 50,000 people over the weekend, so if a Savannah trip lines up with these dates, it's worth building the rest of your plans around it rather than the other way around.

TL;DR — Savannah Jazz Festival 2026

• Dates: September 18-20, 2026 — the 45th annual festival, dedicated this year to longtime arts patron Bob Faircloth in honor of his 90th birthday.
• Where: the main stage sits in Forsyth Park, in the heart of the Historic District, with additional programming at other Savannah venues earlier in the week.
• Cost: the Forsyth Park concerts are free and open to the public; reserved seating in a Patron's Tent is available for purchase — check savannahjazz.org for current pricing before you go.
• Saturday, Sept 19 lineup: saxophonist Brian Miller, the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame Band, vocalist Jane Monheit with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra, and headliner Huntertones.
• Sunday, Sept 20 lineup: New Orleans Dixieland group The Storyville Stompers, the University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble, and School Band Day performances.
• Scale: organizers expect more than 50,000 attendees across the weekend — book hotels and dinner reservations early if your dates overlap.

When Is the Savannah Jazz Festival, and How Big Is It?

The 2026 Savannah Jazz Festival marks the event's 45th year, running September 18 through 20. That makes it one of the longest-running jazz festivals in the Southeast, and this year's edition is dedicated to Bob Faircloth, a longtime Savannah arts patron, in honor of his 90th birthday. Organizers are projecting more than 50,000 attendees across the weekend, which puts it in the same league as the city's biggest annual draws — on par with how our Savannah in fall guide describes the crowds around the SCAD Savannah Film Festival and Oktoberfest later in the season.

Unlike the ticketed Savannah Music Festival each spring — covered in our Savannah in April guide — the Jazz Festival's headline draw is that its Forsyth Park performances are free. That's a meaningful difference if you're deciding which music-focused trip to plan around: spring brings a ticketed, genre-spanning festival across historic venues, while September brings a free, jazz-specific weekend centered on one park.

What's on the 2026 Lineup?

The festival's free Forsyth Park performances are concentrated on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, September 19 features saxophonist Brian Miller, the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame Band performing a special tribute to Bob Faircloth, vocalist Jane Monheit backed by the Savannah Jazz Orchestra, and the high-energy headlining act Huntertones. Sunday, September 20 shifts toward a more traditional and family-oriented close, with New Orleans Dixieland favorites The Storyville Stompers, the University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble, and School Band Day performances wrapping up the weekend.

Programming in the days leading up to the weekend has historically included performances at other Savannah venues beyond Forsyth Park, so it's worth checking savannahjazz.org directly for the full week's schedule if you want to catch everything the festival offers, not just the Saturday-Sunday main stage.

Is the Savannah Jazz Festival Really Free?

Yes — the Forsyth Park concerts are free and open to the public, which is part of what makes this festival different from most large-scale music events. If you want reserved seating rather than lawn space, the festival sells access to a Patron's Tent; pricing and availability change year to year, so confirm current details on the official festival site before you plan around it. For everyone else, bring a blanket or lawn chairs and treat it like a picnic with a soundtrack.

Where Should You Stay and Park?

Forsyth Park sits at the southern end of the Historic District, so a downtown hotel puts you within easy walking distance of the whole weekend. The Mansion on Forsyth Park is the closest option, sitting directly across from the park itself; browse the rest of the Savannah hotels directory or our neighborhood guide to where to stay if you'd rather compare the Historic District against River Street or Plant Riverside for the rest of your trip.

Parking gets tight around a 50,000-person weekend. Some additional lot space typically opens along the park's southern edge, but street parking and garages fill fast — our where to park in the Historic District guide covers the Visitor Parking Pass and nearby garages, and arriving early or walking from a downtown hotel is the easiest way to skip the search entirely.

Local tip: Forsyth Park is a genuine picnic setting during festival weekend — bring a blanket, sun shade for the afternoon sets, and snacks or a cooler if the festival's rules allow it, since food-vendor lines get long once the crowd builds. Check savannahjazz.org for the current year's bag and cooler policy before you pack.

How Should You Plan the Rest of a Festival Weekend?

Forsyth Park itself is worth a slower look beyond the stage — our Savannah parks guide covers the fountain, walking paths, and how the park connects to the rest of downtown. Coffee and a bite before the music starts are an easy walk away: Foxy Loxy Cafe sits just off Bull Street near the park, and The Collins Quarter is a short walk north for a more sit-down breakfast or brunch. If you want to build out a bigger evening once the Sunday lineup wraps, our Savannah live music guide covers where to keep listening after the festival stage goes quiet, and our Savannah squares guide is a good way to fill a slower morning before the afternoon sets begin.

Because the festival draws such a large crowd, treat this like a peak weekend for booking purposes — reserve restaurant tables ahead of time using our Savannah restaurants directory, and check our best-time-to-visit guide for what September weather and crowd levels typically look like if you're weighing this weekend against other dates.

Bottom Line: Savannah Jazz Festival 2026

The 45th annual Savannah Jazz Festival runs September 18-20, 2026, with free Saturday and Sunday concerts in Forsyth Park drawing an expected 50,000-plus visitors. Saturday leans toward tribute and headline sets from Brian Miller, the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame Band, Jane Monheit, and Huntertones; Sunday closes things out with Dixieland jazz and school ensembles. Book a downtown hotel if you can, plan around limited parking, and check savannahjazz.org directly for the full week's schedule and any current-year policy details before you go. For more on stacking a trip around Savannah's fall calendar, our Savannah in fall guide and full Savannah travel guides hub are good next stops.