Wangaratta Festival of Jazz & Blues

Wangaratta · AU

Running in regional Victoria since 1990, Wangaratta is the festival most Australian jazz musicians measure a career against. Over one long weekend the town's churches, halls and the Cathedral Grounds turn into stages, with recent programs holding Fiona Boyes, The Bamboos with Kylie Auldist, Andrea Keller, Sandy Evans, Jamie Oehlers and Bob Sedergreen. It also runs the National Jazz Awards, whose past winners include Sam Anning, Barney McAll, Julien Wilson, Michelle Nicolle and Kristin Berardi, The 2026 edition lands on the weekend of 31 October and 1 November, with the 36th National Jazz Awards finals on the Sunday. The Award is tightly gated and changes instrument each year: the 2026 running is for drums only, entrants must be Australian citizens aged 36 or under, and entries close at 11:59 pm on Friday 11 September 2026 through the How To Enter page, which hands off to a Google Form. General artist pitches are a separate and open route, going to a booking address with photos, bio and a demo or YouTube link. Award prize money is 4,000 dollars for first with a recording session at Pughouse Studios in Melbourne, 3,000 for second and 2,000 for third.