Lake Anna Jazz Music Festival 2026

The live music event, sponsored by Lake Anna Jazz, was held on the grounds of Cooling Pond Brewery & Winery in Mineral, Virginia.

Both internationally established and young local musicians gathered in Louisa to perform at the fifth annual Lake Anna Jazz Music Festival on the weekend of September 19th and 20th. This year’s theme was “An Uncommon Wealth of Talent,” highlighting many outstanding performers who are native to, or current residents of, Virginia. The headliners included internationally acclaimed touring artists with decades of popularity and scores of albums, representing multiple Grammy awards. The performances were free to the public, thanks to the organization’s solicitation of individual donations and sponsorships.

The annual production is sponsored by Lake Anna Jazz, a Louisa-based nonprofit corporation that seeks to encourage the appreciation and performance of Jazz, one of America’s original art forms. The festival format allows for many musical styles and band configurations, with performances alternating between the two adjacent outdoor stages and each set lasting less than an hour each. According to Robert McBride, President of Lake Anna Jazz, this approach keeps the audience engaged with an entertaining variety show. “There’s something for everyone in this family-friendly, free, and fast-paced show.”

Among the highlights of the festival was an appearance by an original member of the vocal group “The Manhattan Transfer,” singer Janis Siegel, and a performance by “New York Voices” member Lauren Kinhan. They were backed by an instrumental combo including local players Tony Martucci, Jeff Massanari, and Tom Baldwin, under the direction of New York City pianist John DiMartino.

The lineup included a rare visit from the U.S. Army Blues, the powerful big band made up of members from “Pershing’s Own” ensemble in Washington, D.C., featuring vocalist SSG Melinda Rodriguez. Another large ensemble from nearby, the Fredericksburg Big Band, performed on Sunday, while the five-piece Mardi Gras Kings Brass Band began the festivities at noon.

Richmond’s Michael Hawkins and his band, The Brotherhood, began the Saturday schedule and the lively Latin-influenced jazz of Elle Jay & Spanglish closed the show on Sunday. Other Virginians, leading their own bands, included Carol Covell, Bruce Middle, Kevin Gaines, and Maddy Curtis. A new vocal ensemble from Charlottesville, Tonal Strangers, wraped up the Saturday afternoon sessions.

Two food trucks and dozens of vendors made the weekend even more enjoyable, and the entire event was underwritten by local sponsors whose generous contributions make the show free for everyone to attend. Those sponsors are Sheehy Toyota of Fredericksburg, Patriot Industries, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, Bell Land Surveys, Crutchfield, and Belmont Ruritan Club.

The County of Louisa provided support through its grant program, funded statewide by Virginia Tourism.

In addition to the free afternoon shows, a special, ticketed event called “Vocal Gumbo” took place on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. in the event barn of Callie Opie’s Orchard Restaurant, next door to the Cooling Pond venue. The show, hosted by Janis Siegel and Lauren Kinhan, is a celebration of vocal excellence that brings top tier artists from New York City, Washington D.C., and other parts of the country to perform in an intimate, cabaret style show. The hosts use the platform as a way to introduce remarkable local singers that they’ve discovered, and this year’s roster included Virginians Wyatt Michael, Roger Reynolds, and Carlehr Swanson.

More information is available at the organization’s website, LakeAnnaJazz.org.