DC Jazz Festival Announces Initial Lineup for 2025 DC JazzFest

Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Lalah Hathaway, John Scofield, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Sun Ra Arkestra, The Baylor Project, Keyon Harrold, Emmet Cohen, JazzDC All-Stars, The String Queens and more

August 27 – August 31, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – February 24, 2025. The DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) today announced the initial lineup for the 2025 DC JazzFest, taking place August 27–31, 2025. This year’s festival will feature an extraordinary roster of NEA Jazz Masters, GRAMMY winners, and rising stars.

Among the headliners are NEA Jazz Masters Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Gary Bartz, and Marshall Allen leading the Sun Ra Arkestra, alongside acclaimed vocalists Lalah Hathaway and Cécile McLorin Salvant; and John Scofield, Emmet Cohen, Keyon Harrold, The Baylor Project, and The String Queens. The festival will also showcase the JazzDC All-Stars directed by Allyn Johnson.

DC JazzFest at The Wharf early bird tickets go on sale February 28 at Noon at dcjazzfest.org/tickets. Tickets for Lalah Hathaway are available at  theanthemdc.com.

The state of the jazz voice will be on glorious display with award-winning Lalah Hathaway, Cécile McLorin Salvant, The Baylor Project with the soulful Jean Baylor. DCJF Artists-in-Residence NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter and bass stalwart Corcoran Holt return for new programs. DMV jazz artistry will also be superbly represented by the now internationally-thrilling sounds of DC’s own The String Queens, drummer Tony Martucci’s Earth Tones, Baltimore saxophonist Birckhead, and many more.

One of the grandest, most comprehensive jazz festivals in the U.S, the DC JazzFest will feature five days of events in over 15 venues in a dozen neighborhoods across our nation’s capital.  DC JazzFest at The Wharf, the festival’s signature event, will be held over Labor Day Weekend on August 30 - 31. This multi-stage, tentpole weekend will be hosted at The Wharf, a waterfront destination with an enticing assemblage of restaurants, artful shops and incredible river views.

“The DC JazzFest truly represents a proud DC tradition and a major draw for people to experience Washington, DC over Labor Day weekend,” said Elliott L. Ferguson, II, President and CEO of Destination DC. “Residents and visitors will look forward to capping off summer with an amazing array of jazz and jazz-informed music, while exploring DC’s neighborhoods, hotels, great dining opportunities at The Wharf waterfront, museums, and more.”

“We’re excited to bring another incredible lineup to DC, celebrating jazz legends and fresh new voices,” said Sunny Sumter, DC Jazz Festival President and CEO. “DC JazzFest continues to elevate the city’s jazz legacy while creating unforgettable experiences for audiences locally and globally.”

DCJF will announce its full schedule and more details on our citywide celebration later in the spring. We look forward to this grand “jazz takeover” of DC, August 27 - 31.

For press inquiries or requests for information, contact Lydia Liebman, DCJF publicist, at lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com.  

Learn more about the DC Jazz Festival and all of our programs by visiting www.dcjazzfest.org. 

###

About DC Jazz Festival: The DC Jazz Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that celebrates America’s unique original art form by presenting year-round programs and performances. Our mission is to present internationally renowned and emerging artists in celebration of jazz, unify diverse communities and enable connections between artists and audiences, advance jazz and music education, provide performance opportunities for DC-based musicians, and highlight DC as a major and vibrant center for jazz. With dozens of performances in venues across the city, the annual DC JazzFest is one of the world’s largest music festivals. This international event attracts jazz lovers from around the world to the nation’s capital. The 2025 DC JazzFest will take place citywide August 27 - August 31. www.dcjazzfest.org.

DCJF Media Contact:

Lydia Liebman, DCJF Publicist, lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com

DCJF Contacts:

Sunny Sumter, CEO, sunnysumter@dcjazzfest.org

Josh Brown, Marketing and Communications, josh@dcjazzfest.org

Keep up with DCJF:

·       Twitter: @dcjazzfest

·       Facebook: facebook.com/dcjazzfest

·       Instagram: @dcjazzfest

·       LinkedIn: DC Jazz Festival