Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival 2026: An Unforgettable Musical Experience

Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival 2026 (the 13th Annual) is confirmed for May 14–17, 2026 on Hawaiʻi Island, with the Main Festival Concert on Saturday, May 16, 2026 oceanfront at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Kaunaʻoa Bay (Kohala Coast). Tickets are noted as “on sale soon” on the festival’s official site, so pricing has not been publicly confirmed yet.

Four Days of Music in Paradise

Hawaiʻi Island has a way of making everything feel more spacious, including live music. The Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival brings that wide-open energy to one of the most beautiful settings on the Kohala Coast: an oceanfront stage at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, with the sand of Kaunaʻoa Bay only steps away.

For travelers, this is the kind of island festival that blends “vacation” with a real cultural anchor. You can spend mornings snorkeling or beach-walking, afternoons exploring Waimea’s paniolo country, and evenings sinking into jazz, blues, and soulful performances under the warm May sky.

Confirmed 2026 Dates and the Main Concert Day

The festival’s official website states “Big Island Jazz and Blues Festival – May 14–17, 2026,” confirming the overall weekend frame. The same site also confirms the Main Festival Concert is on Saturday, May 16, 2026, described as “OCEANFRONT at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel,” with gates opening at 4:30 PM and the show running 5–9 PM (as stated in the site’s main festival format).

This matters for trip planning because you don’t have to be on the island for a full week to enjoy it. If your schedule is tight, arriving Friday and leaving Sunday still lets you catch the main Saturday night concert plus at least one additional festival event.

Location: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Kaunaʻoa Bay (Kohala Coast)

The festival is hosted at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, and the official site emphasizes its oceanfront setting on the crescent-shaped white sand beach of Kaunaʻoa Bay on the sunny Kohala Coast of Hawaiʻi Island. This location is a major reason the festival has a strong reputation among visitors: it’s not a parking-lot stage or an indoor ballroom vibe. It’s Hawaii’s natural beauty as part of the show design.

Staying on the Kohala Coast also puts you within striking distance of iconic Big Island experiences. You can combine festival weekend with a day trip to Waimea for upcountry scenery, or head down toward Kona for coffee, galleries, and sunset dining, depending on how you like to travel.

Festival Identity: What Makes It “Big Island” Jazz and Blues

The official festival site highlights that for 13 years, the Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival has “brought Aloha” to Hawaiʻi Island and to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, and that the festival has been hosted there since its first event in 2011. That consistency matters, especially in a destination where some events come and go. It signals a stable annual tradition with a strong venue partnership.

The site also positions the lineup style clearly: it highlights “Grammy Award Winners, Grammy Nominated Artists, Music Hall of Fame Members and Jazz and Blues Legends” as the caliber of performers associated with the festival. Even without the full 2026 artist list published in the cited page content, the festival branding tells you what kind of weekend to expect: high-level musicianship, crowd-pleasing sets, and a mix of jazz and blues traditions that play well in an outdoor, oceanfront atmosphere.

What to Expect During the Festival Weekend

Because this is a multi-day festival, it’s best to think of it as a “music-forward resort weekend” with a signature concert night.

Oceanfront Saturday Night: The Main Event

The festival’s main Saturday concert is the centerpiece: 5–9 PM oceanfront, with gates opening at 4:30 PM. That timing is perfect for travelers because it catches golden hour into sunset, when the Kohala Coast light is at its best and the temperature is comfortable.

Smaller Events and Add-Ons

The festival site indicates there are additional events across the weekend, and it references a “Jazz Teaser Show” and a “Jazz Breakfast.” While those examples appear in the site’s current wording and may reflect earlier programming, the key takeaway is that the weekend typically includes more than one performance format beyond the Saturday concert.

Travel Tips for Enjoying Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival 2026

Where to Stay for the Best Experience

If your priority is ease and atmosphere, staying near Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Kohala Coast keeps logistics simple and lets you enjoy the festival without long late-night drives. If you prefer a more local town vibe, Waimea (Kamuela) can be a charming base, but expect driving to and from the coast for events.

Build Your Weekend Like a True Island Trip

A strong Big Island festival itinerary balances music with nature:

Morning: beach time at Kaunaʻoa Bay area or a scenic drive along the coast.
Afternoon: a relaxed early dinner or resort-style reset.
Evening: the Saturday concert, then a calm night under the stars.

Pack for Coastal Comfort

Bring a light layer for ocean breezes after sunset, plus comfortable footwear for walking around resort grounds and event areas.

Tickets and Pricing: What’s Confirmed (and What Isn’t)

The festival’s official website states “Tickets on sale soon,” which means pricing for 2026 is not confirmed in the available official page content yet. For planning, assume ticket demand will be meaningful because the festival promotes a strong lineup level and a premium venue setting, then monitor the official festival website for the on-sale announcement.

Verified Information at a Glance

Item: Confirmed details

Event name: Big Island Jazz and Blues Festival 2026 (13th Annual)
Event category: Music festival (jazz and blues)
Confirmed 2026 festival dates: May 14–17, 2026
Confirmed main concert date: Saturday, May 16, 2026
Confirmed venue: Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, oceanfront at Kaunaʻoa Bay, Kohala Coast, Hawaiʻi Island
Confirmed main concert time: 5:00 PM–9:00 PM; gates open 4:30 PM
Festival history note: Hosted at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel since the first event in 2011
Ticket pricing: Not yet published; official site says “Tickets on sale soon.”

If you’ve been looking for a Hawaiʻi Island trip that blends beach calm with world-class live music, aim for May 14–17, 2026, plan your Saturday around the oceanfront concert at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, and let the Kohala Coast sunset carry you into a night of jazz and blues in one of the most beautiful settings in the islands.