Monterey Jazz Festival 2026 Tickets, Schedule, and Pass Guide

According to the festival’s September 2 ticket announcement, all ticket types are now on sale for the 2026 Monterey Jazz Festival, which runs Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27. The main choice is Arena versus Grounds access: two of the weekend’s marquee sets require Arena access, while the Monterey Surprise ensemble plays a Grounds stage.

This guide explains which ticket fits each priority performance, what each day offers, and how to compare listings without waiting for checkout to reveal the total.

The festival’s September 2 announcement put Full Weekend Arena, Single-Day Arena, Arena Lawn, Full Weekend Grounds, and Single-Day Grounds options on sale. Decide first whether your must-see set is in the Arena, then choose between one-day and weekend access.

When is the 2026 Monterey Jazz Festival?

The 69th Monterey Jazz Festival runs September 25–27, 2026, at the Monterey Fairgrounds. The festival’s official ticket release identifies the site as the Monterey County Fair & Event Center at 2000 Fairground Road.

The festival’s access details cover five stages: the Arena’s Jimmy Lyons Stage and four Grounds stages. That split matters because a Grounds ticket does not include an Arena seat, while an Arena ticket also includes Grounds access for the applicable day or weekend.

Which Monterey Jazz Festival ticket should I buy?

Buy Arena access if Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter or Meshell Ndegeocello is your priority; choose Grounds access if you mainly want the four outdoor stages, including Monterey Surprise. The festival’s ticket descriptions confirm that the difference is access, not simply how many days the ticket covers.

• Full Weekend Arena: a reserved seat for all 13 Jimmy Lyons Stage shows plus access to 60 additional performances and activities on the Grounds. The festival announced prices starting at $465.
• Single-Day Arena: a reserved Arena seat plus Grounds access for that day. They announced prices of $110 for Friday and $215 for Saturday or Sunday.
• Arena Lawn: lawn access to the Arena plus Grounds access. They listed $85 for Friday and $135 for Sunday; they did not list a Saturday Arena Lawn option.
• Full Weekend Grounds: access to the four Grounds stages for all three days, announced September 2 at $230.
• Single-Day Grounds: access to the Grounds stages for one day. The September 2 release listed $65 Friday and $90 Saturday or Sunday through September 20, with prices increasing September 21–27.

Those figures are the festival’s primary-market prices announced September 2, not a promise about current resale listings. On TickPick, compare the same date and ticket type; all-in pricing means the displayed listing price is the final price at checkout.

What should I see on Friday, September 25?

Friday is the shortest Arena program and has the lowest announced single-day Arena price, making it the clearest one-night option for fans focused on the opening evening. The official schedule begins the Arena program at 7 p.m. with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, featuring Wynton Marsalis and special guest Cécile McLorin Salvant, followed by the Eddie Palmieri Experience at 8:45 p.m.

The Grounds schedule begins in the afternoon, so arriving early gives a Friday ticket more value. Check the live schedule before leaving because artists and times are subject to change.

What should I see on Saturday, September 26?

Saturday is the only day to pair the Monterey Surprise ensemble on the Grounds with Meshell Ndegeocello’s America 250 commission in the Arena. The official Saturday schedule puts Monterey Surprise: 1958 Throwback at 2:15 p.m. on the Ray Drummond West End Stage and America 250 at 7 p.m. on the Jimmy Lyons Stage.

The festival’s announced Monterey Surprise lineup brings together Ambrose Akinmusire, Melissa Aldana, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gerald Clayton, Larry Grenadier, and Brian Blade. A Saturday Arena ticket covers both stages; a Saturday Grounds ticket covers Monterey Surprise but not the Arena commission.

What should I see on Sunday, September 27?

Sunday’s defining set is Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter: For Miles at 7:45 p.m. in the Arena. The festival’s official announcement describes it as a duo reunion celebrating the centennial of Miles Davis’ birth, and the schedule confirms its time and stage. Fans buying specifically for that performance need Sunday Arena or Full Weekend Arena access.

The Sunday schedule also features the Charles Lloyd Quartet‘s Forest Flower 60th Anniversary on the Jimmy Lyons Stage at 6 p.m. Grounds programming runs throughout the day, but a Grounds-only ticket does not include either Arena set.

How should I compare Monterey Jazz Festival tickets?

Compare the same day, access type, and quantity before choosing a Monterey Jazz Festival listing. A lower-priced Grounds listing is not an equivalent substitute for an Arena ticket if your priority performer plays the Jimmy Lyons Stage.

• Write down the one or two sets you do not want to miss.
• Confirm whether each set is in the Arena or on the Grounds.
• Compare one-day and weekend listings with the same access.
• Recheck the official schedule before the festival because artists and times are subject to change.

For broader planning ideas, TickPick’s guide to music festivals around the U.S. covers the trade-offs that matter when choosing a multi-day event.

What should I do next?

Choose the performance you care about most, confirm its date on the official schedule, then compare matching day-of-show or weekend tickets on TickPick. That one check prevents the most expensive festival-ticket mistake: buying access that does not include your priority set.