Started in 1958, Monterey Jazz Festival is the world’s longest continuously-running jazz festival (you’ll see #MJF67 hashtags this year, for sure). People are known to patronize the festival year after year, making the annual Monterey Jazz Festival feel more like a family reunion than other music festivals. Here, you not only see artists on stage but walking around the grounds. When you aren’t catching a set at one of the outdoor stages, be sure to check out the food vendors, selling everything from soul food to Jamaican cuisine, and Yamaha’s instrument petting zoo, where kids can play with an assortment of real instruments.
The Specs
- 35,000 jazz music fans are expected to be at the 67th annual Monterey Jazz Festival.
- Want to buy tickets? Three-day arena tickets start at $298 and include full access to all performances.
- Three-day grounds tickets start at $195 for adults and do not include access to the Jimmy Lyons Stage.
- Single-day tickets and grounds tickets are also available for purchase, and the full breakdown can be found here.
- Check out Fifty Grande’s guide to California here.
FAQs
What is the closest airport to the festival?
The closest airport is Monterey Regional Airport, about two miles from the Monterey County Fairgrounds.
How far is San Francisco from Monterey?
Monterey is 119 miles south from SF.
How far is Monterey from San Jose?
San Jose is 72 miles north of Monterey.
How far is Monterey from Big Sur?
Big Sur is 30 miles south.
I want to see some otters! How far is Monterey Bay Aquarium from Monterey County Fairgrounds?
The aquarium is just four miles away.
Are ADA accommodations available at Monterey Jazz Festival?
Yes, you can purchase an ADA ticket package. Three-day arena ADA tickets start at $433.
Can I bring a lawn chair?
No. Loaner lawn chairs will be available for you at the gate, and you must return them when you exit.
Can I bring my RV?
Yes, you can bring your RV and keep it onsite, but you must buy an RV camping ticket.
Who is the festival’s artistic director?
Darin Atwater.
Who is on the lineup?
The festival features dozens of established jazz musicians as well as rising stars. The lineup includes Stanley Clarke N•4EVER, Mavis Staples, Samara Joy, Robert Glasper feat. Yebba, Joshua Redman Group feat. Gabrielle Cavassa, Lila Downs, José James Presents 1978, Somi, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, Chief Adjuah, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, SFJazz Collective: 20th Anniversary Celebration, Blind Boys of Alabama with special guest Bobby Rush, Eastwood Symphonic, Donald Lawrence & Company, Keyon Harrold presents “Foreverland” feat. PJ Morton, Mumu Fresh, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra with The Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo: Jason Moran’s Ellington 125; Jason Moran & The Bandwagon feat. Tarus Mateen, Nasheet Waits and Akili Bradely; Gerald Clayton Trio, Jason Moran with BlankFor.ms and Marcus Gilmore, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Brandee Younger Trio feat. Mumu Fresh, Ben Williams Band, Avery*Sunshine, Pedrito Martinez Group; New Orleans Groove Masters feat. Herlin Riley, Jason Marsalis and Shannon Powell; Tarbaby feat. Orrin Evans, Eric Revis and Nasheet Waits; James Brandon Lewis’ Red Lily Quintet, The Soul Rebels, Joel Ross’ Good Vibes, Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y; Action Trio: David Binney, Louis Cole and Pera Krstajic; Connected with Richie Goods and Chien Chien Lu, Julia Keefe Indigenous Jazz Ensemble, Tammy Hall feat. The Texas Southern University Gospel Choir, John Nash & The Monterey Peninsula Gospel Community Choir; Harriet Tubman feat. Brandon Ross Melvin Gibbs and JT Lewis; Stephanie Wrembel Band with special guest Jean-Michel Pilc, Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East, Marquis Hill: Composers Collective, Sean Mason Quartet, Jamison Ross, Tim Green Quartet, The Carolyn Sills Combo, Christie Dashiell Quartet, Jackie Venson, El Arte del Bolero: Miguel Zenón/Luis Perdomo Duo, Jahari Stampley Trio, Ana Popovic & Fantastafunk Big Band, Shayna Steele, Mimi Fox Organ Trio, Christian Pepin & Orquesta Bembé, Yuko Mabuchi Trio, Endea Owens & The Cookout, Huntertones, Monophonics, G. Thomas Allen Quintet, Leon Joyce Jr. Quartet, Sara Jones Trio, Sammy Miller and the Congregation, Texas Southern University Jazz Combo, North Carolina Central University Jazz Combo I, Berklee Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice Quartet, Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo directed by Katie Thiroux, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Combo, MJF All-Star Vocal Ensemble, MJF Regional All-Star Band, MJF Regional All-Star Middle School Combo, HBCU – WIJC – NGJO Student Jam Session, The Listening Space with Gerald Clayton Live.