International jazz legends and hometown heroes perform at this year's free Atlanta Jazz Festival

A crowd participates in the Atlanta Jazz Festival, which returns to Atlanta on May 25. (Courtesy of Terence Rushin)

This story was updated on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 4:43 p.m.

The heart of American jazz beats in Atlanta every year at Piedmont Park, in one of the biggest free jazz festivals in the country.

This year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival boasts a towering lineup of national and international jazz legends and hometown heroes, including Ravi Coltrane, Charles McPherson, Marsha Ambrosius and Dianne Reeves. Music is from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Piedmont Park, May 24-26.