17th Annual DC JazzFest - September 1-5, 2021
The 2021 DC JazzFest will take place from September 1-5, with 20+ concerts, interviews and other exclusive content featuring international superstars and homegrown talent alike. Due to the ongoing pandemic, DCJF decided to postpone this year’s festival to September as a celebration of all things jazz in DC, with a tentpole weekend at the District Wharf, a waterfront destination with restaurants, shops, and stunning views. Our signature event, DC JazzFest at The Wharf will take place September 4-5, over Labor Day Weekend, as a hybrid of in-person and livestreamed performances to a worldwide audience.
The largest jazz festival in the nation’s capital, the 17th Annual DC JazzFest will feature a robust lineup of incredible artists – from homegrown talent to NEA Jazz Masters – with concerts citywide. The variety of festival experiences across the city will include in-person and live stream performances, up-close and personal “Meet the Artist” conversations, and the DCJazzPrix international jazz band competition Finals from Union Stage.
“While we are still in the middle of a challenging time, DC JazzFest is working closely with our DC partners to deliver a safe, world-class festival featuring great music for the jazz enthusiast and casual fan alike,” says DCJF Executive Director, Sunny Sumter. “The well-being of our patrons, artists and festival production team is a top priority and the move from June to September will support a safe festival experience for all.”
DCJF will announce its full lineup and more details on our citywide celebration in late spring. We look forward to this immersive “jazz takeover” of DC in September. For any press inquiries or requests for information, contact Lydia Liebman, DCJF publicist, at lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com.
Please consider making a donation to the DC Jazz Festival Education Program so we can continue to provide enriching and entertaining educational opportunities to students, teachers and their families across DC.
Relive all your favorite 2020 festival moments on our YouTube Channel:
View other special content from the 2020 edition of the festival like behind-the-scenes webisodes or meet-the-artist interviews on Gather by EventsDC.
As part of the upcoming 17th Annual DC JazzFest, we will host the 7th Edition of the DCJazzPrix Finals, our annual international jazz band competition. Last year's DCJazzPrix was held on Sunday, September 27th. The EJB Quartet took home the winning prize of $15,000. Watch their winning performance below:
2020 DCJazzPrix Winners: The EJB Quartet
Be sure to visit the DC Jazz Festival Merchandise Store where we have our "Jazz Up Your Closet Bundle" as well as other official DCJF merch.
2020 DC JazzFest Replays:
Please consider donating to the DCJF Music Education Program while you watch.