Chicago Jazz Fest 2025 headliners include Esperanza Spalding, Kermit Ruffins, Monty Alexander
The City of Chicago announced the headliners for Jazz Fest 2025, including Esperanza Spalding, Kermit Ruffins and Monty Alexander.
Also headlining the annual Labor Day weekend festival are Afro-Cuban guitarist Eliades Ochoa of the Buena Vista Social Club, and saxophonist Gary Bartz with his ensemble NTU Troop.
Spalding headlines opening night, Thursday, Aug. 28; Monty Alexander headlines on Friday, Aug. 29; Bartz performs and Ruffins headlines Saturday, Aug. 30 and Ochoa headlines the final night, Sunday, Aug. 31.
The festival will be held in Millennium Park and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, as well as the Chicago Cultural Center.
Shows at the pavilion will spotlight some of Chicago's finest jazz musicians, including Sarah Marie Young, Ari Brown, Patricia Barber, Ava Logan, G. Thomas Allen, the Natalie Scharf Quintet, Silvia Marque and Marcel Bonfim.
The festival, which has been going for 40 years, is free to attend.
The full lineup will be announced soon, the city said. It includes daytime programming at the Chicago Cultural Center on its first day, additional concerts at the Von Freeman Pavilion Stage and WDCB Jazz Lounge. Young musicians will be spotlighted in daytime concerts at the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace on Saturday and Sunday.