Dallas is getting its trumpets ready. Brass & Jazz in the Park, the free community festival presented by the AT&T Performing Arts Center and The New Orleans Original BuckShop, returns to West Dallas on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Mattie Nash-Myrtle Davis Park, 3710 N. Hampton Road. Now in its sixth year, the afternoon celebrates the music, culture and traditions that connect Dallas and New Orleans — and admission is free with an RSVP.
This year’s edition carries a hometown heartbeat: it honors Roy Hargrove, the Dallas-raised, two-time Grammy-winning trumpeter and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts graduate who became one of the most influential jazz musicians of his generation. Four outstanding jazz bands will celebrate his legacy with trumpet-forward performances, mixing their own music with selections from Hargrove’s legendary body of work.
The music starts early. Grounds open at 12:30 p.m., the Booker T. Washington student jazz band plays at 1:00 p.m., Terence Bradford and Congo Square follow at 2:00 p.m., and The Thaddeus Ford Band takes the stage at 3:00 p.m. At 3:45 p.m., the afternoon closes in true New Orleans fashion with a traditional Second Line led by Grand Marshal Michelle N. Gibson, the Big Easy Brass Band, the Wild Apache Black Mardi Gras Indians and the BuckShop Kidz.
Between sets, families can enjoy jazz dance, Louisiana cuisine and hands-on art activities. Organizers suggest bringing a blanket or a short lawn chair; food and drinks will be available for purchase. Curated by Michelle N. Gibson, the festival is part of the Center’s free annual Festival Series — a joyful reminder, from Happy City News, that some of the best afternoons in Dallas come with brass, sunshine and neighbors dancing together.
Photo: AT&T Performing Arts Center
