We kick off the 2026 Northampton Jazz Festival’s 15th year with the Jazz Strut on Friday Sept. 25. Stop by Pulaski Park at 4:00 PM for two student jazz combo performances, and then stroll, sip and dine your way through downtown Northampton to the sounds of jazz ensembles at eight different establishments across town. The Jazz Strut features free evening jazz performances in breweries, bars and restaurants with a 5:30 PM early set, a 8:00 PM late set, and the 10:00 PM jam session that runs ‘til midnight. Each ensemble plays for two hours, so you can catch a lot of live jazz and good times on Jazz Strut night. Please patronize the host establishment by ordering food and drink while you enjoy the music!