It’s time for the 15th Annual North Bend Jazz Walk

Fifteen years? I can hardly believe it.

When we started the North Bend Jazz Walk, I just wanted to see if we could pull off one great night of music in our little downtown. One night, a handful of venues, some of my favorite musicians playing their hearts out for neighbors who maybe had never heard live jazz before. That was the whole idea.

And here we are, 15 years later, about to do it again, bigger, better, and honestly, still a little bit crazy. Saturday, April 25, 2026. 18 venues. 27+ bands. 100+ musicians. One ticket. We start at 5 PM and go to midnight, where downtown North Bend turns into one massive jazz festival.

If you’ve been before, you know the deal. Grab a wristband, grab a friend, and wander. Pop into a venue, catch a set, walk across the street, catch another one. Repeat until midnight. If you haven’t been before, this is the year.

The Lineup this Year!

This year we are featuring the Greta Matassa Quintet, Jay Thomas Tenor Dynasty 2, Mark Taylor, Travis Ranney, Joel Steinke, Adam Kessler, Matt Williams, Kelly Eisenhour, Reuel Lubag, Kandin Neri Trio, Leah Stillwell Duo, Dan Taylor Trio, Greg Schroeder, Nathan Fisher, Moe Weisner Quartet, Ben Thomas Trio, Janette West Quartet, Kate Olsen KO Quartet, Greg Williamson, Heather Chriscaden, Brent Jensen, Bill Anschell, Free Fall with Rick Mandyck, Thomas Marriott, Jeff Johnson, John Bishop, Audrey Stangland Trio, Sammamish High School Jazz Band, Fagan Brazilian Quartet, Pearl Django, Jerry Steinhilber Trio, Danny Kolke Trio, Richard Cole 4 + 1 and…

On top of it all we have got jazz bands from Mount Si, Mercer Island, Roosevelt, Bonney Lake, and Sammamish High Schools, along with students from Central Washington University and the Bellevue College Jazz Band. These students are the future of this music, and watching them play on the same night as the PNW’s best players is one of my favorite parts of the whole evening. Plus they get to attend, meet and hang out with some other great professional musicians. Total coolness…

The Details

• Saturday, April 25, 2026
• 5 PM High school bands get us started
• 6 PM to Midnight The main lineup
• 18 venues, all within walking distance in historic Downtown North Bend
• One wristband = every venue, all night
• Box office opens at the North Bend Theatre, 125 Bendigo Blvd

Tickets are on sale now at NorthBendJazzWalk.com.

Thank You

I say this every year, and I’ll say it again: none of this happens without the musicians, the venues, the sponsors, the volunteers, and the fans who keep showing up. Fifteen years in and I’m more grateful than ever. JazzClubsNW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and every ticket, membership, and sponsorship goes right back into keeping live jazz alive in the Pacific Northwest.

Come hang out with us this Saturday April 25th. It’s going to be an awesome night.

— Danny