36th Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues Announces 2026 Program
The 36th Wangaratta Fesival of Jazz & Blues returns this Melbourne Cup long weekend with another vibrant celebration of world-class jazz and blues, bringing acclaimed Australian artists, international influences and emerging talent to one of Australia’s most iconic regional music festivals.
Held from Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, this year’s Festival will once again transform WangaraGa into a musical playground, with performances staged across the Main Stage at the Cathedral Grounds, the Tiny Jazz Series at the Old Baptist Church, St Pat’s Hall and Holy Trinity Cathedral. Proudly supported by Visit Victoria, the Festival continues to bring visitors to the region while celebrating the diversity and depth of Australian jazz and blues.
The 2026 program features headline performances from The Bamboos featuring Kylie Auldist and Cookin’ on 3 Burners featuring Stella Angelico, alongside acclaimed artists including Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers, Horns of Leroy featuring THNDO, ISEULA New Orleans Special, Checkerboard Lounge, Frank Sultana Blues Band, Yunior Terry’s AfroCuban Roots and many more.
Returning in 2026 is the Weekend Pass, providing exceptional value and giving audiences access to every performance across the Main Stage, St Pat’s Hall, Tiny Jazz Series and the much-loved Jazz Mass through out Saturday and Sunday. Day Passes for both Saturday and Sunday are also available. The return of the Weekend Pass marks an exciting new chapter for the Festival, offering audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves in a full weekend of world-class music across multiple venues.
Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues Artistic Director Serge Carnovale, founder of Melbourne’s renowned Paris Cat Jazz Club :
I couldn’t be prouder of the program we’ve built for 2026, a bold celebration of Australian jazz and blues that proves just how much talent and heart this Festival brings, even in challenging times.
Festival Program
With Weekend Passes and Day Passes available, audiences can choose how they experience the Festival across Saturday and Sunday, with two full days of music across WangaraGa’s key venues. Audiences are invited to curate their own musical journey, from intimate jazz performances and dance halls to headline concerts on the Main Stage, with flexible ticket options providing the chance to experience everything the Festival has to offer.
Friday 30 October – Opening Night
The Festival opens with The Shuffle Club, an intimate cabaret-style event at St Pat’s Hall, offering audiences a unique start to the weekend in an electric festival atmosphere.
Saturday 31 October – Festival Weekend
Main Stage
The Main Stage presents a dynamic mix of jazz, blues and soul featuring Terry’s Pocket, Fiona Boyes & The Fortune Tellers, Monstress and Horns of Leroy featuring THNDO, leading into a headline performance from The Bamboos featuring Kylie Auldist. Throughout the day, audiences can also enjoy Jazz House DJs, family activities and the atmosphere of the Festival grounds.
Tiny Jazz Series
The Tiny Jazz Series at the Old Baptist Church presents Lounge of the Flamingo, Gianni Marinucci’s Born to Be Blue – Celebrating Chet Baker, and Jamie Oehlers Quartet:
Celebrating John Coltrane’s 100th Anniversary.
St Pat’s Hall
St Pat’s Hall hosts an a]ernoon of timeless jazz favourites with The Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra featuring Tamara Kuldin, celebrating the joy of swing music and social dancing.
Wangaratta Performing Arts & Convention Centre
Presented independently of the Festival, James Morrison Meets the Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra will take place at the WangaraGa Performing Arts & Convention Centre. This special performance has already sold out.
Sunday 1 November – Festival Weekend
Main Stage
The Main Stage features ISEULA New Orleans Special, Checkerboard Lounge and Frank Sultana Blues Band, before concluding with a headline performance from Cookin’ on 3 Burners featuring Stella Angelico.
Tiny Jazz Series
The 36th National Jazz Awards, celebrating Drums and curated by Chris Hale, return as one of the Festival’s signature events. Tiny Jazz Series will also feature Resonance with Andrea Keller, Sandy Evans, Kristin Berardi and Jenny Barnes, followed by Yunior Terry’s AfroCuban Roots featuring Natalia Barahona.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
The Jazz Mass returns to Holy Trinity Cathedral featuring Bob Sedergreen and Carl Pannuzzo, continuing a beloved Festival tradition that brings together music and community.
St Pat’s Hall
St Pat’s Hall closes Sunday’s celebrations with Jon Hunt’s Blue Devils and Dai, Ciccio! Italian Songbook, combining blues traditions with Italian musical storytelling.
Monday 2 November
Milawa Monday
The Festival experience continues with Milawa Monday, inviting audiences to extend their weekend with a day of live jazz, local food and wine across Victoria’s renowned Gourmet Region.
Following its successful revival in 2024, the WangaraGa Festival of Jazz & Blues continues to build on its legacy while embracing a renewed vision under Festival Chair Andrew Nunn, a new Board and Artistic Director Serge Carnovale.
Since launching in 1990, the Festival has become one of Australia’s most respected regional music events, renowned for showcasing outstanding Australian artists, supporting emerging talent and establishing the prestigious National Jazz Awards as a key plaborm for the next generation of jazz musicians.
As a cornerstone since its inception, the Awards have helped launch the careers of leading Australian artists including inaugural winner and internationally acclaimed pianist Barney McAll, ARIA Award-winning vocalist Elana Stone, bassist Sam Anning and 2024 winner Stephen Byth, now based in New York.
Recognised with a National Tourism Award and as a Victorian Hallmark Event, the Festival continues to play an important role in bringing visitors to the region. Following a challenging period that saw the Festival announce its closure in 2023, its return in 2024 marked a new era of growth and renewal.
With a standout program spanning jazz, blues, funk, soul and global sounds, the Weekend Pass and a renewed commitment to supporting Australian artists, the 36th WangaraGa Festival of Jazz & Blues continues as one of Australia’s premier regional music festivals.
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