SUN VALLEY. The 37th annual Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival opened on Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 18, with performances located throughout the Sun Valley Village, according to Sun Valley Resort's event page. The festival's own site gives the same run, Thursday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026.

The scale, as Visit Sun Valley lists it, is 110 live performances by 47 bands and guest artists, at five venues with four dance floors. The styles run from hot jazz, blues, zydeco, jump and swing to gypsy jazz, boogie woogie, Motown and party bands, according to the same listing.

The festival's Marching Band on stage under the Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival banner, with local Girl Scouts presenting the colors, in a photograph from the festival site. The site says the band is led by conductor Tom Dale.
The festival's Marching Band on stage under the Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival banner, with local Girl Scouts presenting the colors, in a photograph from the festival site. The site says the band is led by conductor Tom Dale.Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival

Free music, in the Inn and on the Square

Not all of it needs a pass. Visit Sun Valley lists free music in the Sun Valley Inn Lobby Lounge through the festival: Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Two free community concerts are set for Ketchum Town Square: Precious Byrd on Friday, Oct. 16, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Tom Rigney and Flambeau on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., according to Visit Sun Valley. The festival's musicians page describes Precious Byrd as new to Sun Valley this year, and Rigney's band as an all-star group built around his red boots and a lineup that includes guitarist Anthony Paule and Caroline Dahl.

The High Street Party Band performing to a dancing crowd, in a photograph from the festival site. The festival's 2026 specialty sets include High Street's Dancin' Through the Decades.
The High Street Party Band performing to a dancing crowd, in a photograph from the festival site. The festival's 2026 specialty sets include High Street's Dancin' Through the Decades.Sun Valley Jazz and Music Festival

Big bands and specialty sets

Visit Sun Valley lists special sets including a Louis Armstrong Tribute, an All Star Big Band set, a Jerry Lee Lewis Tribute, Dance Through the Decades and Zoot Suit Riot. The festival's own musicians page adds its 2026 specialty list: a Big Band Bash, gospel sets, a Miles Davis Tribute, a Jerry Lee Lewis Tribute and a Charlie Brown Vince Guaraldi set, among others.

The festival site puts the Terry Myers Big Band at the center of its lineup, with vocals from Meloney Collins and Shaymus Hanlin, and its Marching Band, led by conductor Tom Dale, includes a moment with local Girl Scouts presenting the colors and veterans honored.

For the paid rooms, Visit Sun Valley lists All Events Passes, Day Passes and After 5pm Passes, with tickets available at the Sun Valley Inn once the festival has begun.