Dates Announced For 2026 Middlesex County Jazz Festival

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Middlesex County Jazz Festival returns in 2026 for its third year running.

The festival runs Sept. 23 - Sept. 26 this year. It's four free jazz concerts in four Middlesex County towns: Woodbridge, New Brunswick, Carteret and Metuchen.

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This year audiences will be treated to a fine selection of top jazz performers and big bands over four nights of free concerts. Also featured is a sample of several of the towns’ excellent high school music programs. An important mission of Middlesex County Jazz Festival is to encourage and promote music education.

All Middlesex County Jazz Festival concerts are free and accessible. For concert details and up-to-date
weather and performance-related announcements visit middlesexcountyjazzfestival.com.

Producing organizations include the town of Carteret, the Metuchen Arts Council along with the Friends of Metuchen Arts, the New Brunswick Jazz Project and Woodbridge Arts.

Mark your calendars for September, because here's what's planned:

Woodbridge – September 23

At Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Avenue in downtown Woodbridge

·7:00 p.m. – Woodbridge High School Jazz Choir

·7:30 p.m. – Eli Yamin Jazz & Blues Band

·8:40 p.m. – Shayna Steele Quintet

New Brunswick – September 24

Liberty Square Park, 150 Neilson Street, New Brunswick

·5:30 – 6:40 p.m. - Cocomama

·7:00 - 8:30 p.m. – Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet

Carteret – September 25

At the Carteret Performing Arts Center, 46 Washington Street, Carteret

·7:00 – 7:45 p.m. – Jeff Levine

·7:45 – 8:45 p.m. - Lance Bryant & Shout! Big Band

Metuchen – September 26

At Metuchen High School, 400 Grove Avenue, Metuchen

·5:30 – 6:00 p.m. – Metuchen Dance Centre

·6:00 – 6:45 p.m. - Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra

·7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Dave Schumacher & Cubeye

·8:15 – 9:45 p.m. – Mingus Big Band - the evening’s headliner, Mingus Big Band, performs the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus.