An eclectic mix of swing, big band, ensembles and even country music is lined up now through next weekend as Carson City’s 23rd Annual Jazz & Beyond Music Festival is underway, with festivities kicking off Friday evening featuring an outdoor concert with the Reno Jazz Orchestra at the Governor’s Mansion.
Organized by the Mile High Jazz Band Association, the festival continues this weekend, including performances today at Comma Coffee Courtyard and through August 23 with 10 days of free entertainment and more than 25 performances.
Sunday brings the the country-themed “An Afternoon at the Silver Saddle Ranch” with music, cowboy poetry, and mule rides. Artists featured throughout the afternoon are Joey Carmon and Kentucky Blue, Cowboy Poets Dennis Golden, Larry Marinel and Jo Foster and the main concert featuring the Sagebrush Rebels.
Festival highlights are the dynamic 6-piece Latin-jazz ensemble, No Comprende, on Tuesday, August 18, at McFadden Plaza; Lucky Diamond and the Incontinentals and Cherie and John Shipley’s Take This on Wednesday, August 19, at the Bliss Mansion; Mile High Jazz Band’s Basie’s Birthday concert on Friday, August 21; and the all-female big-band, Sapphire Jazz Ensemble on Sunday, August 23.
The Jazz & Beyond festival committee selected winners of the 2026 art contest, including first place winner Carol Foldvary-Anderson’s design, “Celebrate Jazz USA,” which is featured on the festival poster, program cover and T-shirt.
The second place winner is Michelle Bowler for “Jazz in Color,” and third place was awarded to Nikki Olson-George for “Rhythm Road.” These were selected from 12 entries to highlight the 23rd annual festival.
Original artworks submitted for the contest is on display at the NAA Gallery, 449 W. King Street, and will be raffled off during the festival. They are individually valued at $60 to $500 and feature digital, acrylic, watercolor, photography, and mixed media artworks. Raffle tickets are available for purchase at the NAA Gallery and at each concert. The winning tickets will be drawn at the closing concert on August 23. The winners need not be present.
The full schedule of events on the websites Jazzcarsoncity.com and Milehighjazz.com will be updated frequently. The annual Jazz & Beyond Festivals are presented by the Mile High Jazz Band Association and are supported by grants from Carson City, the Nevada Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, and by private donations.
Go here for the calendar of events or see below.
