The complete schedule, what to bring, where to go, and everything you need to enjoy an afternoon of music on Ellicott Street.
We’re almost there.
This Sunday, September 6, we’ll close Ellicott Street in downtown Buffalo and welcome everyone to the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival—a free afternoon of outstanding music, food, friends, and community in one of downtown’s most unique street settings.
We’ve spent much of this week sharing the stories behind the musicians and talking about our aspiration to continue building a jazz festival worthy of Buffalo’s name.
Now it’s time to experience it.
Here’s everything you need to know before heading downtown Sunday.
Four Performances. Four Distinctive Sounds.
One of the things we’re most excited about this year is the breadth of music you’ll experience throughout the afternoon.
12:45 PM — Vibrant Strings
We begin with a distinctive Buffalo ensemble blending the warmth and beauty of strings with jazz, contemporary influences, and imaginative arrangements.
2:15 PM — Victrola Voilà Trio
The musical journey moves to 1930s Paris as Rochester’s Victrola Voilà brings the infectious rhythms of Django Reinhardt, hot club swing, vintage jazz, French musettes, and old-time swing to Ellicott Street.
4:00 PM — Marcus Goldhaber
Buffalo native and New York City-based vocalist and songwriter Marcus Goldhaber returns home, bringing his distinctive storytelling and contemporary approach to the Great American Songbook.
6:00 PM — Três Mais featuring Karrin Allyson
We close the festival with the sounds of Brazil as Três Mais welcomes five-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Karrin Allyson for what promises to be a memorable finale.
From strings to Parisian swing, the Great American Songbook to Brazil, the afternoon is a wonderful reminder that jazz isn’t one sound or one style.
Jazz really can be for everyone.
Where to Find Us
The Buffalo Jazz Festival takes place on Ellicott Street in downtown Buffalo, centered near Tappo Restaurant at Ellicott and East Huron Streets.
For the festival, Ellicott Street will be closed to traffic and transformed into a pedestrian street experience where you can settle in, listen to the music, enjoy something to eat or drink, meet friends, and spend the afternoon downtown.
Bring a Chair and Stay Awhile
One of the things that makes the Buffalo Jazz Festival setting unique is the way we transform Ellicott Street itself.
We’ll once again create our European-inspired street setting, with tables and chairs placed right in the street, giving people a place to sit, enjoy something to eat or drink, listen to the music, and spend time together. It’s an atmosphere we’ve watched people embrace throughout our Summer of Jazz.
There will be tables and chairs available, but as you can imagine, there may not be enough seating for everyone. We strongly recommend bringing your favorite folding chair so you can find a spot and settle in for the afternoon.
And that’s really the idea—stay awhile.
Come early. Meet some friends. Grab something to eat or drink. Experience a musician you haven’t heard before. Walk around. Run into someone you know.
Make an afternoon of it.
Food and Drink
One of the pleasures of the Ellicott Street experience is having food and refreshments right alongside the music.
Tappo Restaurant gives you an opportunity to add lunch, dinner, drinks, or something in between to your festival afternoon.
Supporting the businesses around the festival is also another way we can demonstrate what happens when arts, culture, and local businesses work together to create a more active and inviting downtown.
Getting Downtown and Parking
Here’s some good news for Sunday: street parking in downtown Buffalo is free on Sundays.
You’ll also find parking lots and ramps within walking distance of the festival area. Give yourself a little extra time to arrive, park, and make your way to Ellicott Street, particularly since Ellicott itself will be closed within the festival area.
Once you’re parked, head toward Ellicott and East Huron Streets, and you’ll find us.
The Festival Is Free
The 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival is free and open to everyone.
That’s something we’re committed to.
Producing a free festival, however, isn’t free. Staging, sound, musicians, production, and everything that happens behind the scenes come with very real costs.
If you’re able and would like to help us keep the Buffalo Jazz Festival free, we’ll gratefully accept donations during the festival. You can also support the festival through our Venmo and PayPal options.
Here’s a link to donate: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/VZEDUTJK96F5J
There is no obligation. Come and enjoy the festival either way.
Every contribution simply helps us continue building this experience and keeping it accessible to our entire community.
Come Experience It
Five years ago, we began with an aspiration: Buffalo deserves a jazz festival worthy of its name.
We’re still building. Sunday is another step. And the most important part of what happens next isn’t the stage, the tables, or even the musicians we’ve invited.
It’s you.
It’s people coming downtown, filling Ellicott Street, bringing friends and family, supporting nearby businesses, listening to extraordinary music, and spending an afternoon together.
That’s how an event begins becoming a tradition.
So bring a chair. Bring some friends. Give yourself the afternoon.
We’ll see you on Ellicott Street.
5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival
Sunday, September 6, 2026
Music begins at 12:45 PM
Ellicott Street | Downtown Buffalo
FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE
Come for the music. Stay for the experience.
Click, read, and learn more:
Why You Should Experience Vibrant Strings at the Buffalo Jazz Festival
Posted on by Tony Zambito
An imaginative Buffalo trio brings the warmth of strings and a distinctive musical voice to Ellicott Street. One of the things we want the Buffalo Jazz Festival to reflect is […]
Why You Should Experience Victrola Voilà at the Buffalo Jazz Festival
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
Rochester’s Victrola Voilà brings the irresistible swing of 1930s Paris to Ellicott Street—and another opportunity to discover an outstanding regional jazz ensemble. One of the things we believe a jazz […]
Why Marcus Goldhaber Is an Artist You Need to Experience
Posted on by Tony Zambito
One of the most rewarding parts of presenting jazz is welcoming artists home. Marcus Goldhaber is one of those artists. Born and raised in Buffalo, Marcus has built an impressive […]
Why Três Mais and Karrin Allyson Are an Experience You Won’t Want to Miss
Posted on by Tony Zambito
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about this year’s Summer of Jazz has been taking a musical journey together. We’ve traveled to Paris. We’ve celebrated the rhythms of Latin […]
