Denton Arts & Jazz Festival
Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is a free three-day festival on five stages in the North Texas town that hosts one of the country's largest jazz degree programs.
- City
- Denton
- Where
- Denton, Texas
- When
- Second weekend of September
- Since
- 1980
The festival was established in 1980 by Denton arts promoter Carol Short and is produced by the Denton Festival Foundation, Inc., with support from the Dallas/Fort Worth branch of the American Federation of Musicians and the city of Denton. It was founded on the principle that the arts should reach the public free of charge, and admission has stayed free. The 2026 edition runs September 11 to 13 and moves to the North Texas Fairgrounds after decades in Quakertown Park.
Five stages run continuous music across the weekend, alongside crafts, food and visual-arts booths. The festival's Showcase Stage is given over to student ensembles from the University of North Texas College of Music, including the One O'Clock Lab Band, which is why the event functions as an annual shop window for the North Texas jazz pipeline. Headliners in 2026 include Tom Braxton and Lin Rountree, the Grant Sabin Trio, and Brave Combo; past bills have included Ravi Coltrane and Jack DeJohnette.
No shows in our listings yet
We don't have any Denton Jazz Fest 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 Denton Jazz Fest
Hotels and apartments around Denton. Prices shown are for one night; you can widen the dates on the map.
Frequently asked questions
- When does Denton Jazz Fest take place?
- Denton Jazz Fest takes place in Denton in second weekend of september, and has been running since 1980. The exact dates for each edition can vary, so it's worth confirming them on the official website.
- Where is Denton Jazz Fest held?
- It takes place in Denton (Denton, Texas).
- 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.