Clifford Brown Jazz Festival
The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival is a week-long free festival in Rodney Square, in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, honoring the trumpeter Clifford Brown, who was born in the city.
- City
- Wilmington
- Where
- Wilmington, Delaware
- When
- Early August
- Since
- 1989
Founded in 1989 and produced by Cityfest, Inc., the festival reached its 39th edition in 2026 and describes itself as the largest free outdoor jazz festival on the East Coast. Every performance is free, staged on a single main stage in Rodney Square over seven consecutive days - a length that few free festivals in the region attempt.
The programming is deliberately broad within and around the jazz tradition: straight-ahead sets share the week with soul, funk, gospel, Afrobeat, Caribbean rhythms and R&B, mixing Grammy winners and international touring artists with Wilmington musicians. Recent editions have added live painting during performances and hands-on percussion activities before the main stage sets. The 2026 edition ran August 2-8.
No shows in our listings yet
We don't have any Clifford Brown Jazz shows in our listings yet (its program is usually announced shortly before each edition). In the meantime, explore all our live jazz shows.
Where to stay for Clifford Brown Jazz
Hotels and apartments around Wilmington. Prices shown are for one night; you can widen the dates on the map.
Frequently asked questions
- When does Clifford Brown Jazz take place?
- Clifford Brown Jazz takes place in Wilmington in early august, and has been running since 1989. The exact dates for each edition can vary, so it's worth confirming them on the official website.
- Where is Clifford Brown Jazz held?
- It takes place in Wilmington (Wilmington, Delaware).
- How do I follow the program and get tickets?
- At Jazz Live US we publish its shows in our Calendar listings as they are confirmed, and for the full line-up and tickets you can check the festival's official website. If you join Jazz Live US, we'll let you know when the line-up is announced.
The exact dates for each edition can vary. Check the festival's official website to confirm the line-up and tickets.