T.U. Jazz Fest 2026

T.U. Jazz Fest Returns to Mel Lastman Square for 12th Annual Labour Day Weekend Celebration Canada’s Largest Jazz Festival for Emerging Artists Serves Up Free Music, Grammy-Winning Talent, Masterclasses, and The Welcome Market TORONTO, ON, September 4 , 2026 — Canada’s largest jazz festival dedicated to emerging artists, T.U. Jazz Fest (TUJF), returns to Mel Lastman Square from September 4–6, 2026 for its 12th annual edition. Presented by the Emerging Artists Association (EAA), the free, family-friendly festival will transform the heart of North York into a three-day celebration of jazz, artist development, cultural diversity, and community connection. The 2026 festival will feature more than 130 musicians from across Canada and abroad, including award-winning and internationally recognized artists from Canada, the United States, and Romania. Festival highlights include Grammy Award-winning producer, bassist, and educator Justin Gray, who will lead the festival’s featured masterclass and perform as a special guest artist. Audiences will also enjoy performances by Grammy and JUNO Award-nominated keyboardist Jonny Tobin, award-winning vocalist Julia D’Ascanio, DownBeat Student Music Award recipient Sarah Leroux, award-winning bassist and composer Josh Warren, and many of Canada’s most promising emerging jazz artists.