There are not many places where you can spread a blanket on the grass, watch the sun drop behind the palm trees, and hear one of the most important musicians in the history of jazz for the price of nothing at all. For one weekend this November, Hollywood, Florida, is one of them. The Hollywood Real Jazz Festival takes over ArtsPark at Young Circle on Friday, November 20, and Saturday, November 21, 2026, with a lineup headlined by the legendary bassist Ron Carter and his Foursight Quartet. Joining him are soul jazz vocalist and pianist Kandace Springs, virtuoso vibraphonist Warren Wolf, beloved South Florida artists, and some of the region’s most gifted young players. Every performance is free and open to the public.

Produced by The Rhythm Foundation for the City of Hollywood and presented by SiriusXM, the festival reflects a growing commitment to world class jazz in downtown Hollywood. It blends headline concerts with community traditions, pairing Friday night’s music with the city’s annual holiday tree lighting and extending Saturday’s festivities into a street party across the downtown district. It is the kind of event that reminds you jazz was always meant to be a public celebration, shared by neighbors, families, and anyone who happens to wander by.

Ron Carter, the Bassist of the Century

It is difficult to overstate Ron Carter’s place in American music. At 89, the three time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master holds the distinction of being the most recorded bassist in history, with his work appearing on well over two thousand recordings, a feat once certified by Guinness World Records. His career reads like a history of modern jazz. He came up in the early 1960s working with Eric Dolphy, Jaki Byard, and Cannonball Adderley, then joined Miles Davis’s second great quintet alongside Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Tony Williams, the band that redefined small group jazz on albums such as E.S.P., Miles Smiles, Sorcerer, and Nefertiti.

Beyond that landmark group, Carter recorded with an astonishing range of artists, including Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Gil Evans, Quincy Jones, and B.B. King. He anchored Hancock’s classic Maiden Voyage, recorded in 1965 at Rudy Van Gelder’s famous studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and countless other sessions that shaped the sound of the music. Hip hop fans know him too, thanks to his memorable appearance on A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory. A longtime educator, he has also written widely used bass method books and taught generations of players.

Remarkably, Carter’s calendar this year has been as busy as that of musicians a third his age. He celebrated his 89th birthday with a week at New York’s Blue Note, reunited with Herbie Hancock for a duo set at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September, more than six decades after the two first played that festival with Miles, and spent October in his now traditional month long residency at Birdland, a run that fans have affectionately nicknamed “Ron-tober.” The Foursight Quartet is his primary working band, featuring saxophonist Jimmy Greene and drummer Payton Crossley, with Renee Rosnes or Donald Vega at the piano. Carter likes to stitch his sets together into seamless suites, moving from his own compositions to classics associated with Miles, such as “Seven Steps to Heaven” and “Flamenco Sketches,” linked by elegant bass interludes. His set on Saturday at 5:30 PM is the festival’s crowning moment.

Kandace Springs and Warren Wolf

The supporting headliners would be stars on almost any festival bill. Kandace Springs, the Nashville born singer and pianist signed to Blue Note Records, blends jazz, soul, and R&B with a smoky, intimate touch. Her talent caught the attention of none other than Prince, who championed her early in her career after hearing her online, and she has since built a devoted following with albums that pay tribute to the great female vocalists who shaped her, from Billie Holiday to Roberta Flack. Her set at 3:45 PM on Saturday promises to be one of the most soulful hours of the weekend.

Warren Wolf, the Baltimore vibraphonist who also plays piano and drums at a professional level, is one of the most exciting mallet players in jazz today. A former member of the SFJAZZ Collective and Christian McBride’s acclaimed quintet Inside Straight, Wolf has earned a reputation for blistering technique paired with a deep feel for the blues and a gift for lyrical ballads. His 2:00 PM set on Saturday is a can’t miss for anyone who loves the shimmering sound of the vibes.

South Florida Favorites and the Next Generation

The festival also shines a light on the musicians who keep South Florida’s jazz scene vibrant year round. Vocalist and violinist Nicole Yarling, a longtime favorite of local audiences, opens Saturday’s music at 1:00 PM. Bassist Chuck Bergeron, a respected educator and bandleader who has helped shape the region’s jazz community for years, takes the stage twice, at 3:15 PM and again at 5:00 PM, leading into Carter’s headline set, a fitting bassist to bassist handoff.

Friday evening belongs to the future. The Dillard Center for the Arts Jazz Ensemble, the nationally recognized student band from Fort Lauderdale’s celebrated arts magnet school, performs at 8:00 PM after the city’s tree lighting. The program has produced an impressive roster of professional musicians over the years, and its current director, Voshaun Smith, is himself an alumnus of the band. For many in the audience, hearing these young players will be a reminder that the music’s future is in very capable hands.

Jazz After Dark in Downtown Hollywood

When Carter’s set ends, the night is far from over. Starting at 7:00 PM on Saturday, Downtown Jazz After Dark spreads live music across multiple stages along Hollywood Boulevard and Harrison Street, with acts including Tony and the Kings and JUke keeping the energy high. It is an invitation to explore the restaurants, bars, and shops of historic downtown Hollywood, turning a festival day into a full evening out. Combined with Friday’s tree lighting, the weekend offers a perfect blend of holiday spirit and big city jazz in a relaxed, walkable setting.

Planning Your Visit

ArtsPark at Young Circle is a ten acre arts and entertainment destination at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and U.S. 1, at 1 Young Circle in downtown Hollywood, conveniently located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. The amphitheater lawn invites guests to bring lawn chairs and blankets, and the park has a plastic and foam free policy, so plan to leave single use containers at home. Arriving early on Saturday is a smart move, since a lineup of this caliber is sure to draw a crowd, and a good spot on the lawn will make all the difference for the evening’s headline set. The latest schedule updates are available on the official festival page, and more about community events can be found on the City of Hollywood calendar.

Free festivals are a gift to any community, and this one comes wrapped with a remarkable bow. A chance to hear Ron Carter, a living link to Miles Davis and to some of the most important recordings ever made, under the open South Florida sky is not to be missed. Whether you come for the legends, the local heroes, the next generation, or simply a beautiful November evening with great music, the Hollywood Real Jazz Festival is the place to be.