Vancouver International Jazz Festival opens June 19 with 175+ shows
The 41st edition features marquee acts including Brandon Woody, The Ex, and Tomoki Sanders, plus 30 free and 43 pay-what-you-can performances.
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The Vancouver International Jazz Festival opens Friday, June 19, and runs through Monday, July 5, with over 175 concerts and events across the city — one of the longest editions in recent years.
Co-artistic director Cole Schmidt framed the 2026 lineup as a celebration of collaboration and the unexpected: "This year's lineup reflects everything we love celebrating about this music: collaboration, openness for the unexpected, and the transformation that happens when audiences and musicians both are giving their attention to the moment."
Must-see performances include:
Brandon Woody's Upendo (June 24, Fox Cabaret) — The Blue Note Records trumpeter and composer blends jazz, gospel, improvisation, and Black musical traditions into deeply personal performances centered on love, resilience, and community. Woody has collaborated with BADBADNOTGOOD, Robert Glasper, Solange Knowles, and Terri Lyne Carrington.
The Ex with Grdina/Lillinger (June 26, Hollywood Theatre) — The Netherlands-based experimental punk band, active for 45 years and 20 albums, melds punk, improvisation, and global musical influences. Beloved by niche and alternative music fans.
Tomoki Sanders Quartet with Todd Stewart Trio (June 25, The Birdhouse) — Tomoki Sanders, an emerging voice in contemporary jazz and avant-garde music, works with artists like Moses Sumney, Ravi Coltrane, and the Jack DeJohnette Trio. As the child of saxophone legend Pharoah Sanders and a non-binary artist, Tomoki brings Afro American and Japanese identity and queer representation to the conversation. The show is presented in association with the Queer Arts Festival.
Venues span Granville Island, Downtown, the North Shore, and beyond. Downtown Jazz, a free concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ Square, takes place June 27-28 with live performances, youth stages, DJs, community experiences, artisan vendors, and food trucks.
The festival features 30 free shows and 43 pay-what-you-can performances. Free lunch hour concerts run on the Dunsmuir Patio at Bentall Centre; check the festival website for the full schedule and venue details.