The Guelph Jazz Festival will be returning this September, bringing with it a lineup of jazz luminaries and rising stars.
This year’s centrepiece will be Francois Houle’s Secret Lives of Colour ensemble, which features individual artists like Myra Melford and Gerry Hemingway. Members of the group will be performing individually and together throughout the weekend. Other performers include Tania Gill, The Plastic Waste Band, and Tiger Trio. The Guelph Youth Jazz Ensemble will also have an opportunity to showcase their musical talents.
In addition to featuring musical performances, the festival aims to provide education and cultural enrichment through the Guelph Jazz Festival Colloquium. There will be screenings of the documentary films Affamée and Duende, both directed by Christian Pouget and dealing with the life and work of Joelle Leandre, who will be performing at the festival.
Festivalgoers and music lovers will celebrate with a parade through downtown Guelph, going from the Farmer’s Market to Royal City Mission. This year’s parade will feature the theme “We Travel the Spaceways”, inspired by the Afro-futurist work of Sun Ra. Music festivals like this use parades along with flyer printing and other advertising to help invite the community to the show.
The 2026 edition of the Guelph Jazz Festival will take place from September 11 to 13 at the Royal City Mission and other locations.
