Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival Brings Four Days of Music to the Delaware Beaches

If you love live music, beach-town weekends, and the kind of concerts that make you want to stay for one more song, the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival should be on your October calendar.

The festival returns October 15–18, 2026, for its 37th year, bringing nationally known jazz, smooth jazz, R&B, funk, and soul artists to venues across Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, and Lewes.

This year’s lineup includes Brian Culbertson, Boney James, Damien Escobar, Najee, Gerald Albright, Walter Beasley, Stanley Jordan, Keiko Matsui, Acoustic Alchemy, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Michael Lington, and many more.

The festival opens Thursday night at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center with violinist Damien Escobar, joined by Peter White and Vincent Ingala. Friday brings Boney James to the Convention Center, along with performances by Walter Beasley, Brian Simpson, Jessy J, Jackiem Joyner, Marion Meadows, and Alex Bugnon.

Saturday is packed with options. Gerald Albright and Keiko Matsui will perform at the Convention Center, Brian Culbertson will offer a more intimate solo piano performance at Epworth United Methodist Church, and Najee will take the stage at Cape Henlopen Performing Arts Theatre with special guests Regina Belle and Alex Bugnon.

The evening lineup includes the Rehoboth Beach All-Stars, Acoustic Alchemy, Brian Culbertson, Four 80 East, Art Sherrod Jr., and late-night performances at the Cambria Hotel featuring Marcus Anderson, Nicholas Cole, and Ragan Whiteside.

What makes the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival especially fun is that it is spread throughout the beach communities rather than confined to one concert hall. You can see a major headliner at the Convention Center, catch music overlooking Rehoboth Bay at the Rusty Rudder, hear a free morning performance at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market, or settle in for a late-night set at the Cambria.

The festival’s Saturday afternoon performances at the Rusty Rudder Deck will feature Club Phred with the Blues Brothers Horns and Deanna Bogart. The two shows will be treated as one three-hour event with a $10 cover charge, and seating will be first come, first served.

For those who like their jazz with a little more breathing room, the festival also offers smaller, close-up performances. Brian Culbertson’s “An Afternoon with Brian Culbertson” will feature the artist alone at the piano, with only 325 seats available.

Sunday brings the festival’s traditional grand finale. The 37th Grand Jam at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center will bring a long list of festival performers together for one big closing performance. The weekend wraps up that evening at the Rusty Rudder with a closing party and buffet featuring Four 80 East, Marcus Anderson, Jeff Kashiwa, Art Sherrod Jr., and Ragan Whiteside.

There is also a meaningful community mission behind the music. Since 1989, the festival has supported local causes, including Beebe Healthcare and Tunnell Cancer Center. In September, the festival announced a $55,000 gift to support Beebe Oncology Services.

That combination of music, community, and beach-town atmosphere is what has kept the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival going for nearly four decades. It is polished enough for serious music fans, relaxed enough for a weekend getaway, and spread out across enough venues that every visitor can create a festival experience of their own.

Whether you are looking for a big concert, a waterfront performance, a casual afternoon show, or a full weekend of smooth jazz and soul, Rehoboth Beach is ready to find your groove.

View the complete schedule and ticket information at RehobothJazz.com.