Detroit Jazz Festival Expands Global Audience
300K+ Jazz Fans Flock to Downtown, Midtown Performances
DETROIT – The 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival saw an approximate 30 percent uptick from last year in the number of countries within its global livestream audience and more than 300,000 in-person attendees gather during the annual Labor Day weekend event held in downtown and midtown Detroit.
Jazz fans in 43 countries were among the total estimated 1.5M viewers who tuned into the Festival’s website and/or social media to catch performances from world renowned and rising jazz artists from the United States and around the globe. All performances were livestreamed and broadcast “live” for free. Detroit’s Arts and Entertainment Channel, and detroitiptv (an affiliate of the Urban Information Network) also carried the livestreams.
Online viewers across the United States and in new global markets including Cuba, Greece and Croatia joined jazz fans in Asia, Australia, Europe, Japan, Latin America, Sweden and Ukraine among many others (see 2025 Streaming Map) in making up the significant worldwide livestream audience the Festival continues to attract annually. Furthermore, the Festival’s recent technology upgrades in broadcast hardware and software provided seamless livestream delivery and quality to viewers, resulting in a remarkable 30,000 total watchable hours. This represents an average of 11-18 minutes per person watching performances on the website, social media channels, or restream.
Meanwhile in Detroit, crowds gathered throughout the weekend to enjoy the diverse audiences, Detroit culture, and free, live jazz music from some of the greatest artists of our time. Jazz enthusiasts flocked to see nearly 50 performances on four stages on Cadillac Square, Hart Plaza, and at the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center located on the Wayne State University campus.
“This year was truly remarkable and one of the most successful jazz festivals in our 46-year history,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director, Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “We are so thankful to our sponsors, donors and grantors for their continued support of our ongoing mission of propagating transformative, inspiring and uplifting free jazz in Detroit and around the world.”
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Since 1980, the Detroit Jazz Festival has remained the world’s largest free jazz festival. With your support, it stays that way. Donate here.
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About the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation
Under the leadership of President and Artistic Director Chris Collins, the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that presents jazz and educational workshops throughout the year. The Foundation produces the Detroit Jazz Festival, which is the signature event for the Foundation and the largest free jazz festival in the world. The Festival is also a major tourist attraction for the City of Detroit, with 26 percent of its audience coming from out of state. For more information, visit detroitjazzfest.org.
The Detroit Jazz Festival is supported by the Gretchen C. Valade Endowment for the Arts, a private foundation generously created by the late Angel of Jazz, Gretchen C. Valade. The Foundation also receives grant funding from the DTE Foundation, Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, Kresge Foundation, the Knight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Arts Midwest and the Carolyn and Mel Wanzo Music Legacy Endowment. Hundreds of individuals also contribute to the Festival through membership and donations.
Major corporate partners include Rocket Companies, Carhartt, JPMorgan Chase, AARP, Absopure, and Kia.
Media partners include Fox 2 Detroit, 760 WJR, WEMU-FM, DownBeat, WDET-FM 101.9, WRCJ 90.9 FM, Channel 22, City of Detroit’s new arts and entertainment channel, and Detroit PBS.
For more information, visit:
Website – www.detroitjazzfest.org
Facebook — @DetroitJazzFestival
Twitter — @DetroitJazzFest
Instagram — @DetroitJazzFest
