NEW ORLEANS – Satchmo SummerFest presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Foundation (NOTCF) returns for its 26th year on August 1-2 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI), the free, two-day festival honors the life and legacy of New Orleans’ own Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong with more than two dozen musical performances, a full lecture series, local food vendors, and free admission to the museum all weekend.
Headliners include Kermit Ruffins’ Tribute to Louis Armstrong closing out the weekend Sunday night, Mark Braud’s All-Stars featuring Wendell Brunious, Paul Sanchez, and Kiki Chapman on the Friends of Fest Stage, Don Vappie and Jazz Creole on the Delta Utilities Stage, and Hasizzle with TBC Brass Band bringing bounce and brass together on Saturday.
“Satchmo SummerFest reflects everything French Quarter Festivals, Inc. strives to do: celebrate New Orleans culture, support local artists and create memorable experiences that are accessible to everyone,” said Emily Madero, president & CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. “For 26 years, the festival has honored Louis Armstrong’s extraordinary legacy while bringing people together through music, history and community.”
Gates will be open 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. The weekend kicks off Saturday with the Satchmo Sound-Off, featuring The Roots of Music, and closes out Sunday with the Jazz Mass at St. Augustine Church followed by the Satchmo Salute Parade through Tremé and the French Quarter.
Satchmo SummerFest’s 2026 lineup showcases the rich musical traditions of New Orleans, spanning traditional jazz, brass and marching bands, funk, R&B, and jazz fusion. The festival features a dynamic mix of hometown legends alongside artists making their Satchmo SummerFest debut. Delta Utilities returns as the sponsor of the Esplanade Avenue Stage, one of the festival’s two main outdoor stages.
New this year, the Friends of Fest Stage on Barracks Street celebrates the community spirit that has sustained Satchmo SummerFest for 26 years. Made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor committed to preserving New Orleans culture and free arts programming, the stage is designed to inspire others to invest in the future of Satchmo SummerFest and help ensure this cherished tradition remains vibrant, accessible, and free for generations to come. Festivalgoers are invited to become Friends of Fest by making a donation at satchmogive.fqfi.org or at any onsite donation station throughout the festival.
Saturday, Aug.1 brings Roots of Music, Preservation Brass, Troy Sawyer & The Elementz featuring Girls Play Trumpets Too, Joe Lastie’s Jazz to Brass, Assata Renay, Hasizzle with TBC Brass Band, the Lawrence Cotton Legendary Experience, Charmaine Neville, Jamil Sharif, Yusa, Jenna McSwain, and a tribute to blues pioneer Ma Rainey featuring Lars Edegran and Thais Clarke.
Sunday, Aug. 2 features the Treme Brass Band, Kid Merv & All That Jazz, Sir Chantz Powell & The Sound Of Funk, The Nayo Jones Experience, Don Vappie and Jazz Creole, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, John Boutté, Mari Watanabe & Chosen Few with Kevin Louis & Will Smith, Juice, Big 6 Brass Band, Linda Aubert, Tom Worrel, and John Royen & Tim Laughlin, closing out the weekend with the festival’s signature moment, Kermit Ruffins’ Tribute to Louis Armstrong.
Located inside the museum, the Fidelity Bank Piano Sessions Stage features intimate performances and provides festivalgoers the opportunity to explore the museum’s exhibitions while enjoying a break from the outdoor stages.
View the full schedule, and more information, at the website here.