The Detroit Jazz Festival, the world’s largest (and best) free jazz festival, has announced this year’s full 2025 lineup and schedule for Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29 – Sept. 1. Four stages will present an exciting and eclectic array of jazz luminaries in Detroit’s downtown and in midtown on the campus of Wayne State University. “We are thrilled to kick off our 46th year as a free festival and continue our mission of providing inspiring jazz performances to our faithful fans around the globe without any barriers,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director, Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation.

Full schedule and lineup:

Sunday, August 31, 2025

Carhartt Amphitheater Stage

2:30 pm Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra/Bebop

4:45 pm Lakecia Benjamin

7:00 pm Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos

9:15 pm Branford Marsalis Quartet

JPMorgan Chase Main Stage

2:45 pm Randy Napoleon and Waking Dream

4:30 pm Connie Han Trio

6:30 pm 2025 Artist-In-Residence Jason Moran presents the music of Duke Ellington featuring the Detroit Jazz Festival Collegiate Jazz Orchestra

8:45 pm Chucho Valdés & Paquito D’Rivera Reunion Sextet

Absopure Waterfront Stage

1:30 pm J.C. Heard JazzWeek All-Stars

2:20 pm Tottori Jazz Mission – Takumi Inoue Quartet featuring Himiko Kikuchi

3:05 pm Tottori/J.C. Heard JazzWeek Youth Bands combined Jam Session

4:15 pm Detroit Jazz Queens – Paying Homage to Those Upon Whose Shoulders We Stand “Ella, Nancy, Dinah, Etta”

5:45 pm Ian Fink

7:30 pm Zambra (featuring Devon Gates, Ria Modak, Angela Varo, Bahar Badieitabar and Queralt Giralt)

9:15 pm Walter Smith III Quartet

Detroit Jazz Hall located inside the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center at Wayne State University

12:00 pm High School Showcase

10:30 pm Rodney Whitaker Sextet Performs the Music of Joe Henderson (Midtown After Hours Special)