East Town Association Announces 2026 Jazz in the Park Lineup
Expanded season pairs live music with new Thursday market format starting June 4
Press Release – East Town Association Announces 2026 Jazz in the Park Lineup. Photo provided
MILWAUKEE, WI — East Town Association is thrilled to announce the 2026 Jazz in the Park lineup, bringing 12 Thursday evenings of free live music to Cathedral Square Park from June 4 through September 10, the series’ biggest season in years with 50% more performances than 2025. At its heart, the series celebrates the jazz tradition that has made it a Milwaukee summer staple for decades, and this year’s lineup rounds it out with fan favorites guaranteed to get you moving, from salsa to swing, blues to Billy Joel, Grateful Dead tributes to goth dance music.
New in 2026, Jazz in the Park will be preceded each Thursday by Cathedral Square Market, beginning at 3pm, creating an extended evening of community, food, and entertainment in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. The market’s move to Thursdays came directly from vendor and community feedback, and East Town Association is excited about what the new format will bring to Cathedral Square Park all summer long.
“This summer is shaping up to be something really special,” said Tammy Bockhorst, Executive Director of East Town Association. “The Jazz in the Park lineup this year truly has something for everyone, and pairing it with the Cathedral Square Market creates a Thursday downtown that we think Milwaukee is going to love. We’re incredibly grateful to Johnson Financial Group for their continued support in making all of this free and accessible to the community.”
Johnson Financial Group returns as the presenting sponsor of Jazz in the Park for 2026.
2026 Jazz in the Park Schedule
June 4: Salsa in the Park: Junior Rivera y su Orquesta featuring Salsabrositas MKE
June 11: Divas Take the Stage: B.D. Greer Presents: Divas & Jazz
June 18: Long Live the Queen: Respect! A Tribute to The Queen of Soul
June 25: Dirt Roads & Dive Bars: Driveway Thriftdwellers
July 23: Back to the 80s: The First Wave
July 30: Midnight in Chicago: Ivy Ford Band
August 6: Swing Into Summer: Old Sam and the Teardrops featuring Lindy Hop MKE
August 13: Dead on the Square: Deadelijk
August 20: Dance Floor Takeover: Platinum
August 27: New York State of Mind: 52nd Street: The Music of Billy Joel
September 3: Smooth Sailing: Whole Yachta Love
September 10: All Aboard the Dark Side: Goth Barge
Jazz in the Park and Cathedral Square Market are both free and open to the public. The market runs Thursdays beginning at 3 PM and the performers take the stage at 6 PM, all at Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. in downtown Milwaukee. For more information, visit easttown.com
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by East Town Association
East Town Association Cancels June 11 Cathedral Square Market Due to Wind Risk, Jazz in the Park Goes on Rain or Shine with Adjustments
Jun 11th, 2026 by East Town AssociationBD Greer's Divas and Jazz performance ready to move indoors to Electric Lime Taqueria if needed
East Town Association Announces 2026 Jazz in the Park Lineup
May 5th, 2026 by East Town AssociationExpanded season pairs live music with new Thursday market format starting June 4
Storm the Bastille 5K Returns July 9, 2026. Registration Now Open for 40th Anniversary Race
Mar 31st, 2026 by East Town AssociationMilwaukee's only nighttime downtown run celebrates four decades with early bird pricing available through May
Moving the Cathedral Square Farmers Market from Sundays to Thursday from 3-6pm is a terrible change and I think it is straight up sabotage. They claim it is based on public input but that doesn’t ring true based on my experience as a vendor at their market for 3 years. And I do know that there are those who want to see the East Town Association fail so that Westtown Association can take over and move Bastille Days to the Summerfest grounds, which would be awful. Apparently some members of the East Town Association want to see this happen and pushed the Executive Director fighting the changes out last year. And they want this market to fail so they can do this…I was a vendor there the last 3 years since it re-opened and it finally developed into a very strong market last year. But now they are moving it…and who will be there at 3pm on Thursday? And will they bring their purchases to Jazz in the Park or leave them in a hot car? And they are letting vendors stay for Jazz in the Park but I tried that last year and no one was buying from any of us vendors…there to relax & not to buy stuff unless it’s food or drink. I call shenanigans and hope East Town remains intact with Bastille Days remaining the magical experience it is in Cathedral Square Park. Apparently some ethnic festivals have been leaving Summerfest for other locations. Summerfest has always played dirty pool behind the scenes & I guess their allies care more about their friends than they do about the best interests of the East Town area.
I should add that the decision to move the Cathedral Square Farmers Market from Sunday to Thursday certainly does not reflect the comments I submitted as a vendor providing input during the gathering input process. And since posting my first comment I have talked with several other vendors from the market last year who share my concerns about the move. I also learned that the vendor representative who participated in the process is furious with the decision. Even the vendor who they chose to put a positive spin on the move in a TMJ4 feature inadvertently admits that she was doing great with the market on Sundays:
https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/milwaukee-county/milwaukee-vendor-excited-for-changes-coming-to-jazz-in-the-park-concert-series