Written by Love Supreme Jazz Festival, the UK’s largest outdoor celebration of jazz, funk and soul, is set to return to Glynde Place in East Sussex from Friday July 3rd to Sunday July 5th, 2026, promising three full days of world-class music, community, and festival experiences that reflect the vibrant diversity at the heart of modern jazz culture.
This summer’s edition marks a new milestone for Love Supreme, expanding for the first time to three days of main stage programming and opening with a major homecoming moment: Mercury Prize and Brit Award-winning Ezra Collective will headline Friday’s stage, exactly ten years after their breakout performance at the festival. The London jazz powerhouse will not only deliver their own scintillating set—they’ll also curate Friday’s entire lineup under the banner Temple Of Joy, inviting some of the UK’s most exciting rising artists, collaborators and kindred musical spirits. “Love Supreme has always held a special place in our hearts,” the band notes, reflecting on their journey from up-and-comers to international headliners. “Coming back as main stage headliners feels like a full circle moment for us, and we’re honoured to bring our favourite bands and artists to celebrate together.”
Saturday sees multi-award-winning hip-hop star Loyle Carner take the helm as headline act. Fresh off a triumphant year featuring four sold-out nights at Brixton Academy and a top-five album release, Carner cites Love Supreme as a festival that “celebrates all the music I hold close.” His thoughtful lyricism and jazz-infused beats promise a genre-blending set, sure to draw a broad spectrum of fans—new and old—into the festival fold.
Among the first wave of confirmed acts for 2026, the breadth of jazz and related styles reads like a who’s-who roll call: five-time Grammy winner Samara Joy will enchant audiences with her velvet vocals; Motown legends The Temptations & The Four Tops are set to ignite the stage in a joint show bridging eras and genres; rising soul sensation Jalen Ngonda brings a US-UK flavour; boundary-smashing bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding returns for another visionary performance; blues newcomer D.K. Harrell, acclaimed New York multi-instrumentalist Carrtoons, and soul duo The War and Treaty round out a list that blends household names with breakthrough talent.
Ezra Collective’s Temple Of Joy curation adds further sparkle to Friday’s stage. London’s Kokoroko will offer their hypnotic Afrobeat cuts, MOBO Award-winning drummer and producer Moses Boyd expands the festival’s forward-looking jazz DNA, and DJ Luke Una provides a bridge to the electronic/funk/club circuit, with Mississippi-based Annie & The Caldwells injecting gospel energy praised as “a masterpiece” by The Guardian.
Love Supreme is much more than a concert series—it’s a full-featured festival experience. Attendees can expect wellness and yoga sessions, interactive Kids areas, artist talks and screenings at the Jazz Lounge, plus late-night woodlands performances, swing dance lessons and cabaret over at Bands & Voices and Blue In Green—each area a microcosm of the festival’s communal spirit and genre-hopping creativity. The Supremium VIP area adds a touch of luxury for those seeking extra comfort and exclusivity.
Notably, Sunday’s main headliner is still under wraps, with more names to be announced in the coming months, keeping anticipation high as part of the festival’s tradition of surprise announcements and major artist reveals.
Rooted in Sussex’s picturesque South Downs, just 20 minutes from Brighton and an hour-plus from central London, Glynde Place has become synonymous with summertime jazz—inviting a loyal community and new adventurers alike to pitch a tent, dance till late, and soak in the musical magic. In past years, Love Supreme has welcomed legends such as Herbie Hancock, Lauryn Hill, Grace Jones, Gregory Porter, and Chaka Khan, alongside a new generation of stars like Nubya Garcia and Jacob Collier. Last year’s sold-out crowds and glowing reviews only reinforce its reputation as a must-visit fixture on the festival map.
For 2026, the festival’s large-scale vision is matched by an equally ambitious art and culture program, with curatorship and collaboration front and center. Can Ezra Collective and Loyle Carner take things higher than ever before? With eight stages, immersive site-wide experiences, and the promise of spontaneous, once-in-a-lifetime moments, the buzz is building and tickets are already moving fast.
Early Bird passes are available now at www.lovesupremefestival.com. For those seeking a summer immersed in jazz, soul, and boundary-pushing musical experiences, Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2026 stands ready to deliver its largest, most adventurous edition yet.
Stay tuned to Jazz In Europe for new in the coming months.
Last modified: November 26, 2025
