JAMBALOO Festival Returns in 2026

More venues, new neighborhoods, expanded community impact

DALLAS FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JAMBALOO announced details for its 2026 festival, returning February 7 to February 15 for its second year with a significantly expanded footprint across Dallas and Fort Worth. This year's festival will activate 14 venues, present nearly 30 free shows, debut new late-night events, and broaden its civic and community programming. Early confirmed performers include Tripping Daisy, Low Cut Connie, and Catie Adams, with the full lineup to be announced in January.

The 2026 festival builds on JAMBALOO's foundation of free, accessible live music while expanding its role as a cultural and community platform. This year's growth reflects a deeper commitment to creative infrastructure, mental health support, arts education, and the independent music scene of North Texas. The initiative continues with support from Mullen and Mullen Injury Law, whose long-standing investment in local music has helped JAMBALOO grow into one of the region's most visible cultural efforts.

Joe Morrison, JAMBALOO co-founder and Attorney at Mullen and Mullen, said, "Last year's debut showed us two things at once: how hungry the community was for a festival like JAMBALOO, and how many areas still need support behind the scenes. Our 2026 festival is a direct response to both. We're scaling up the celebration while expanding the ways we give back."

JAMBALOO Symposium

The festival will expand its civic programming with the return of The JAMBALOO Symposium, kicking off the festival on Saturday, February 7 at Tulips in Fort Worth. The Symposium will feature discussions on current music trends, challenges facing independent venues, and strategies for strengthening the DFW music ecosystem. The evening will conclude with a special event featuring Dissect podcast host Cole Cuchna, who will break down the music and meaning of select Radiohead songs, followed by live performances from Paranoid Androids, an Austin-based Radiohead tribute band. The Symposium will be recorded and live-streamed.

JAMBALOO After Hours

Debuting this year, JAMBALOO After Hours introduces late-night events focused on vinyl culture and DJ-driven performances. Programming includes three stacked nights at LadyLove Lounge, a Josey Records takeover featuring Mark Farina and his Mushroom Jazz Experience, and a Valentine's Night appearance by Kenny Dope at Deep Ellum Art Co.

Partnering for Mental Health in the Arts

A key development for 2026 is JAMBALOO's expanded and ongoing partnership with Amplified Minds, a North Texas nonprofit that has provided free mental health support to more than 4,000 individuals in the creative community over the past decade. As demand for accessible mental health care grows, Amplified Minds will play a larger role in the festival through a dedicated panel featuring musicians and mental health leaders, as well as year-round workshops and community programs supporting artists, gig workers, and local audiences.

Student Showcase

On Sunday, February 15, JAMBALOO will conclude with BOOKER T. LIVE x JAMBALOO at the Granada Theater, a special collaboration with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. The event will feature performances by current students and alumni from the renowned Dallas arts institution, celebrating the next generation of artists alongside a legacy that includes Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, Roy Hargrove, and Shaun Martin. The showcase serves as both a capstone to the weeklong festival and a celebration of the creative pipeline that continues to shape the North Texas music scene.

How to Attend

RSVPs open on January 14, 2026 at noon CST at JAMBALOO.live. A full schedule, lineup updates and how to secure your spot will be released then as well.

About JAMBALOO

JAMBALOO began as a festival in 2025 and has since evolved into a year-round initiative supporting the North Texas music ecosystem. In 2025, JAMBALOO launched the $20,000 dollar Venue Prize to support independent stages and introduced the $20,000 dollar JAMBALOO Music Prize, now one of the largest local album awards in the country. Submissions for the 2026 Music Prize are open through January 4 at jambaloo.live/music-prize. Additional community programs will be announced throughout the year.

JAMBALOO 2026 is produced with support from Mullen and Mullen Injury Law, Amplified Minds, the Dallas Music Office, the Fort Worth Music Office, KXT, WFAA, Do214, Josey Records, Prekindle, Luminous Sound and numerous regional cultural partners.

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SOURCE Mullen & Mullen Law Firm