Mears Park, Lowertown
Mears Park in Saint Paul's Lowertown neighborhood hosts the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on two outdoor stages, with more than 18 indoor St. Paul venues also programming jazz over the weekend. All venues are wheelchair accessible, free bus and light rail passes are available each day, and buying food and drink at the festival helps keep it free.
Before you go
- Indoor or outdoor
- Both: two outdoor stages at Mears Park plus 18+ indoor venues around St. Paul
- Official site
- twincitiesjazzfestival.com
- Next festival here
- Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Jun 18 to 19, 2027
Worth knowing before you go
- Free bus and light rail passes are downloadable for each festival day.
- Coolers are discouraged; buying food and drink keeps the festival free.
- Recording devices aren't allowed during live sets because of performers' contracts.
- It's a walking event: most stages and venues are close together.
- Lowertown parking ramps are wheelchair accessible.
Festivals here
Venue basics: Two outdoor stages plus 18+ indoor venues · Free bus and light rail passes daily · All venues are wheelchair accessible.
Is it for you
Choose it if
- You want a free, wheelchair-accessible jazz festival across indoor and outdoor venues.
Think twice if
- You wanted to bring a cooler; it's discouraged here.
Getting there and parking
Festival-specific · Twin Cities Jazz FestivalFree bus and light rail passes are available for each day of the festival, downloadable in advance.
Accessibility
Festival-specific · Twin Cities Jazz FestivalAll venues of the festival are wheelchair accessible, with wheelchair-accessible seating at the front right side of the main stage at Mears Park, and all Lowertown parking ramps are wheelchair accessible.
Confirm your specific needs with the venue before you travel (twincitiesjazzfestival.com).
Camping
We don't yet have confirmed information about camping at Mears Park, Lowertown. The venue's own pages are the place to check: twincitiesjazzfestival.com.
Food, water and what you can bring
Festival-specific · Twin Cities Jazz FestivalLawn chairs and blankets are allowed, but coolers are discouraged, and weapons, illegal drugs and outside alcohol are not allowed. Buying food and drink at the festival is what keeps it free.
Sound and sensory
Festival-specific · Twin Cities Jazz FestivalRecording devices are not allowed during live performances because of performers' contracts.
Recently at Mears Park, Lowertown
2025 TCJF Highlights Video
From the venue · Mar 24, 2026
Quick answers
Is the Twin Cities Jazz Festival free?
Yes, and buying food and drink at the festival is what helps keep it free.
Can I get free transit to the festival?
Yes. Free bus and light rail passes are available to download for each festival day.
Is Mears Park wheelchair accessible?
Yes. All festival venues are wheelchair accessible, including accessible seating at the main stage and accessible Lowertown parking ramps.
Can I bring a cooler?
It's discouraged. The free festival relies on food and drink sales, so bringing your own cooler isn't encouraged.
Can I record the performances?
No. Recording devices aren't allowed during live performances because of performers' contracts.
Is the festival only at Mears Park?
No. There are two outdoor stages at Mears Park plus more than 18 indoor venues around St. Paul, and it's a walking event between them.
A little history
What started as a one-day event in downtown Minneapolis 27 years ago has grown into one of the largest free civic jazz festivals in the upper Midwest, and the festival later expanded to Mears Park in Saint Paul's Lowertown neighborhood.