The Elkhart Jazz Festival kicks off this weekend, drawing thousands of visitors to downtown Elkhart for a celebration of jazz music and community.
Since 1988, the festival has brought together jazz legends and fans for a weekend of performances, small-town hospitality, and vibrant outdoor events. This year, more than 100 performers are scheduled, including headline acts such as the Yellowjackets, the Headhunters, and Gunhild Carling with the Truth in Jazz Big Band.
Festival Chairman Ben Decker said organizers have prepared for the hot weather by setting up tents and shade coverings at outdoor stages, along with cooling stations supported by the city. Attendees will also have access to food vendors and water to stay hydrated.
“We’ve got, you know, accessibility to our food vendors and water and beverages, as well as some cooling stations that’ll be set out,” Decker said.
Music will fill nearly every corner of downtown, with outdoor concerts free and open to the public. In addition to the ticketed headliners performing inside the Lerner Theatre, other venues such as the Elkhart Public Library and local clubs will feature live music throughout the weekend.
“Come around downtown and experience all the music that our other partners have also embraced the theme of the weekend,” Decker said.
The festival relies heavily on volunteers—more than 200 this year—to bring the event to life, handling everything from setting up stages to assisting visitors.
The Elkhart Jazz Festival is known as one of the nation’s few volunteer-driven jazz festivals and remains a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar.
