International Jazz Day 2026
All-Star Global Concert Ticket Registration

More than half of the 3,000-plus tickets to the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert at the Civic Opera House on April 30 are reserved for Chicago’s creative community, educators, students, and the general public, ensuring the celebration is shared widely across the city.

Guests may register below for the opportunity to receive two complimentary tickets. Recipients will be selected at random and notified on a rolling basis beginning Monday, April 20. 

Ticket Registration
Ticket Registration

The Global Concert will also be available live and free in 4K on YouTube at yt.be/jazzday beginning at 7:00 pm CT on April 30, where viewers can sign up now to receive notifications. 

In 2026, Chicago will host International Jazz Day’s 15th Anniversary Celebration, coinciding with the United States’ 250th Anniversary, making it a once-in-a-generation cultural milestone.

The celebrations will showcase Chicago’s legacy and leadership in the world of jazz — past, present, and future — while advancing our mission to elevate the music, support our artists, and connect communities through the power of jazz.

“I’m excited that Chicago, my hometown, is hosting International Jazz Day 2026. It was in my Chicago high school auditorium that I discovered jazz, an event that sparked a lifelong passion and commitment to this powerful art form. Jazz opened doors to creativity, self-expression and freedom.”

HERBIE HANCOCK

Featured Events

Chicago Jazz Alliance is excited to partner with jazz musicians, arts organizations, music educators, venues, and neighbors across Chicago, along with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and UNESCO, to celebrate the rich history and community of Chicago jazz, and to introduce new audiences to the power of jazz leading up to the globally broadcast All-Star Global Concert on April 30, 2026.

See below for a selection of featured events. All listed events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Events are subject to change without notice.

Ticketing information for the All-Star Global Concert will be available at a later time.

Events
Tangible Sound: Arrival to a Higher Ground
Apr 25

Photographer Lauren Deutsch and filmmaker Jonathan Woods present an immersive exhibition translating the energy of Chicago’s improvised music scene into color, movement and visual form.

Presented by: Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Haunts & Heroes, The Legacy and Foundation of Chicago Jazz - a photographic tribute
Apr 26

A mobile exhibition of Chicago Jazz photography.

Terrible Sound Presents: Readings from the Jazz Journalists Association
Apr 30

Experience the stories behind the music at “Tangible Sound,” a special International Jazz Day presentation hosted by the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA).

International Jazz Day 2026 All-Star Global Concert
Apr 30

With artistic direction by Herbie Hancock and Kurt Elling, the 15th Anniversary All-Star Global Concert is the centerpiece of International Jazz Day 2026 in Chicago, featuring a record number of acclaimed artists from around the world.

Presented by: Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and UNESCO

WHPK IJD Global Concert Watch Party
Apr 30

A free community watch party to enjoy the Global Concert.

Isaiah Collier Logan Center School Matinee
May 1

Isaiah Collier’s sound is a dynamic flurry of metaphors. He plays his influences, which he describes as a “sonic timemachine; you can’t really put a time or destination on it.”

Presented by: Logan Center for the Arts and UChicago Presents

Isaiah Collier: ‘In Tribute to the Classics of John Coltrane’
May 1

Isaiah Collier’s saxophone sound is both fierce and deeply reflective—rooted in tradition yet stretching toward the future. Named Chicago Tribune’s Jazz Artist of the Year and a New York Times Top Ten honoree, his musicianship carries a wisdom beyond his years.

Presented by:UChicago Presents

Mike Reed’s Chicago Inspirations
May 1

Curated by Mike Reed, Owner and Director, Chicago’s Constellation and Hungry Brain, the evening includes performances of: The Magic Box: Music inspired by the Chicago bassist Fred Hopkins Drummer-composer Mike Reed explores the legacy of Chicago bassist and AACM member Fred Hopkins with new works, including a commission by Henry Threadgill.

Presented by: Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Full April City-wide Event List
Full April City-wide Event List

Neighborhood Jazz Night

Celebrating Jazz in Chicago and International Jazz Day: Neighborhood Jazz Night on Chicago’s South and West Sides.
Events are subject to change without notice.

Special Thanks

If you would like to learn more about how to support, please email info@chicagojazzalliance.org.

HOST CITY CO-CHAIRS

Michael Reschke Quintin Primo III Andrew Pritzker

Cari & Michael Sacks • Mayer Brown • Good Chaos • Diane & Quintin Primo III • Nancy & Michael Reschke
Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity • Choose Chicago
Pritzker Traubert Foundation • AAR Corp. • Covista • Sandy & Jack Guthman
Audrey L. Weaver • World Business Chicago

Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation • Clayco • Russell Reynolds Associates • Health Care Service Corporation
Illinois Arts Council & National Endowment for the Arts • Conagra • Jahn Studio • Phil Clement
Avanath Capital Management • Greenberg Traurig • The Brinson Foundation • Impact Networking
Ullico • Thomas Raines • Architectural Wood Expressions • Ron Pierce • Invest America
Susan & Andy Estes • Vicki & Bruce Heyman • Neisser Family Foundation • Lois Scott • Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
South Arts • Stantec • Newmark • McHugh Construction • Berglund Construction

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Partners

Participating organizations and partners include the following, among many others with additional announcements to come.

If you are interested in hosting an IJD Global Concert Watch-Party; have a jazz event happening in April that you would like included in our Chicago Highlight jazz event listing; or would like to learn more about how to be involved, please email info@chicagojazzalliance.org

Get Involved

Participating in International Jazz Day is easy: there are no membership fees, no application and no prerequisites for joining the International Jazz Day family.

The only requirement is that you be passionate about celebrating jazz and its positive values, and ready to bring that enthusiasm to your community through independently organized events of any size!

Participate on April 30
Participate on April 30
Submit your April Chicago Jazz Event
Submit your April Chicago Jazz Event
Contact us
Contact us
Volunteer
Volunteer
Educational Resources
Educational Resources

Listen Up

Listen to your favorite jazz record and share your picks online and mention us (@IntlJazzDay).

Need ideas? We put together a handy playlist on Spotify featuring tons of great artists and tracks.

  • “Today is an incredible celebration of an art form that helped shape America’s cultural heartbeat and found one of its greatest homes here in ChicagoThroughout our history, Illinois has been a hub of jazz music where many of the greats performed, made their names, and transformed the genre. Jazz is part of the history and cultural lifeblood of Chicago, and I can’t think of a better place to celebrate the genre’s roots and enduring legacy during International Jazz Day.”

    - Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

  • “Chicago's vibrant jazz legacy runs deep. Since the earliest days of the Great Migration, jazz has been interwoven with our city's cultural fabric and identity. Hosting International Jazz Day in 2026 here in Chicago is a tremendous honor and a powerful testament to the enduring spirit and innovation of our musicians and our passionate jazz community.”

    - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson

  • “I’m honored that UNESCO and the Herbie Hancock Institute have chosen Chicago as the host city for IJD 2026. Chicago’s rich history in Jazz and Blues makes it the perfect place to celebrate the music and highlight the city’s ongoing educational and world-class performances. We look forward to welcoming the whole world home to our Sweet Home, Chicago!”

    - Kurt Elling