International Jazz Day 2026 in Bronzeville will activate the neighborhood as a living museum of jazz history, inviting residents, Chicagoans, and visitors to experience the birthplace of Black cultural innovation through walking tours, a jazz heritage bus tour, performances, and conversations.

The event positions Forum Café and The Forum as cultural anchors in Bronzeville’s next chapter while honoring the neighborhood’s role in shaping jazz history.

Participants will move through Bronzeville learning how place, music, and community intersect, culminating in a gathering inside The Forum, where conversations about jazz, culture, and restoration will take place.

Artists: 
Shani Smith - Black Cornerstones Project, Experimental Sound Studio, Dr. Hareder McDowell

Admission: FREE - Open to the public.