Playa del Carmen Jazz Fest 2026
The Playa del Carmen Jazz Fest returns for its third edition with a month of concerts, workshops, master classes and musical exchange. Organized by Explayarte A.C., the independent festival combines international performances with an unusually strong educational program, much of it offered free to local musicians and students.
The main concert series takes over Teatro de la Ciudad October 1–4, beginning with an opening night devoted to Mexican jazz. Emmanuel Mora Organ Trío and Rubén Pastor Trío perform October 1, followed by France's Sampling Is Beautiful with Kike Pat on October 2, Mexican alternative-rock and jazz-fusion group Santa Sabina with American saxophonist Scott Paddock on October 3, and Spanish singer Sole Giménez, former lead vocalist of Presuntos Implicados, on October 4.
Main Concert Series | Teatro de la Ciudad | From 7 PM
October 1: Emmanuel Mora Organ Trío + Rubén Pastor Trío
October 2: Sampling Is Beautiful + Kike Pat
October 3: Santa Sabina + Scott Paddock
October 4: Sole Giménez
Beyond the concerts, Escuela Explayarte becomes the festival's educational hub. Free master classes include Sampling Is Beautiful on sampling as a compositional tool, Poncho Figueroa and Patricio Iglesias of Santa Sabina, Emmanuel Mora and Scott Paddock.
A free Vocal Improvisation Workshop with Daniel Alfonso runs October 5–14 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30–4 PM. Carlos Monroy leads the free Jazz Ensemble Workshop October 6–15, focused on ensemble playing, repertoire, communication between musicians and practical jazz performance. Intermediate knowledge of music theory and performance is required for the ensemble workshop.
The program continues October 16 with a workshop on financing the international circulation of jazz projects, led by Irina Hayipanteli. On October 17, Swiss quartet 60 Miles offers a free 11 AM master class analyzing three of its compositions, followed by a free concert at 8 PM; the venue is still to be confirmed.
From October 19–29, musician Obed Orozco leads another free Jazz Improvisation Workshop at Escuela Explayarte, Monday through Thursday from 2:30–4 PM. The academic program concludes October 30 with the presentation of participation diplomas.
October 1–30, 2026 | Various venues in Playa del Carmen
Most workshops and master classes are free but require advance registration. The four main concerts at Teatro de la Ciudad are ticketed; a four-day Full Pass is currently $1,900 MXN, with individual concert tickets also available.
View the full and continually updated program on the official Playa del Carmen Jazz Fest activity calendar. Register for the free educational activities through the festival registration form. Concert tickets are available from Teatro de la Ciudad.
Follow @pdcjazzfest on Instagram for updates.