South Haven Jazz Festival

Get ready to groove at the South Haven Jazz Festival in South Haven — a two-day celebration of smooth, soulful jazz happening September 18-19, 2026 in downtown’s Dyckman Park and Huron Street Pavilion. This beloved community festival brings together live performances from talented jazz musicians across multiple stages, a laid-back atmosphere perfect for lawn chairs and evening strolls, and the opportunity to sip and savor Social District beverages as you enjoy the rhythm. The festival is free to attend and family-friendly, creating the perfect soundtrack to your fall getaway on the shores of Lake Michigan. (Photo: Tom Renner)

Foundry Hall presents the 9th annual South Haven Jazz Festival on September 18th and 19th in beautiful downtown South Haven. The free, two-day festival offers a variety of regional musicians from small ensembles to the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band performing traditional and original music.

Friday night's highlight will be Brazilian jazz night with the Rufus Ferguson Quartet featuring Kenny Watson. On Saturday, Brandon Meeks shares his Unsung Giants program of Midwest jazz legacy stories and closing out the night the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band will celebrate Miles Davis's 100th birthday.

The festival also showcases vocalist Yolonda Lavender's soul-based jazz, saxophonist Lafayette Gunter Jr. and a WMU jazz vocal duo, Daunt & King.

2026 South Haven Jazz Festival Lineup

FRIDAY 9/18 in Dyckman Park
6pm Daunt & King ~ WMU vocal jazz duo
7pm Rufus Ferguson Quartet featuring Kenny Watson ~ Brazilian Jazz

SATURDAY 9/19 in Dyckman Park and the Huron Street Pavilion
5pm Lafayette Gunter Jr. Band
6pm Yolonda Lavender
7pm Brandon Meeks Trio ~ Unsung Giants
8pm Lake Effect Jazz Big Band ~ celebrating Miles Davis’s 100th birthday

This year's festival is made possible by grant funding, sponsorships and these generous donors:

MILES DAVIS CIRCLE
South Haven Community Foundation
Visit South Haven
Hotel Nichols

ELLA FITZGERALD CIRCLE
JoAnn and David Putman
Woodhams Ford
MyTown Ace Hardware South Haven

If you would like to supprt the effort to keep South Haven swinging and grooving, send us an email at foundryhall@gmail.com!