Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival
Founded in 1959, the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival is the oldest college jazz festival in the United States. Its 68th edition ran February 13-14, 2026, with the 69th set for February 12-13, 2027.
- City
- South Bend
- Where
- Notre Dame (South Bend), Indiana
- When
- Mid-February
- Since
- 1959
The festival is organized by the University of Notre Dame Band and held at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on campus. Its format is non-competitive: college jazz ensembles from around the country perform, and a panel of working professional musicians serves as clinicians, giving comments and running sessions rather than awarding placings. Those daytime performances and clinics are free to attend.
The weekend closes with a ticketed headline concert by the clinicians themselves, which is what gives the festival a public audience beyond the participating schools: the Christian McBride Quintet in 2026, and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington with April May Webb, Morgan Guerin, Milena Casado and Matthew Stevens in 2027. Sixty-eight consecutive editions make it the longest continuous jazz event of any kind in the Midwest.
No shows in our listings yet
We don't have any Collegiate Jazz Festival 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 Collegiate Jazz Festival
Hotels and apartments around South Bend. Prices shown are for one night; you can widen the dates on the map.
Frequently asked questions
- When does Collegiate Jazz Festival take place?
- Collegiate Jazz Festival takes place in South Bend in mid-february, and has been running since 1959. The exact dates for each edition can vary, so it's worth confirming them on the official website.
- Where is Collegiate Jazz Festival held?
- It takes place in South Bend (Notre Dame (South Bend), Indiana).
- 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.