Kenosha Unified School District will hold its 2026 Jazz Festival from Nov. 5 through Nov. 7 at Tremper High School, 8560 26th Ave. in Kenosha.
The festival opens Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 p.m. with Phat Phunktion, a nine-piece funk, R&B and soul band from Madison. The band was founded by Bradford High School alumnus Al Falaschi, a saxophonist and songwriter. General admission for the opening concert is $10.
Student performance sessions with guest artists and clinicians are scheduled for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, and members of the public may attend those sessions as well as the evening concerts.
The closing concert is Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6:30 p.m., featuring all of the district's jazz ensembles. Guest performers include Falaschi on saxophone, Jon Schipper on trumpet and Nick Moran on bass. Reserved seats are $10, limited to three per person, and the concert will also be streamed free on the district's YouTube channel.
Participating schools include Bradford, Harborside Academy, Indian Trail, Tremper, Mahone Middle School, Lance Middle School, Bullen Middle School, Washington Middle School and LakeView K-8. The district is presenting the festival in collaboration with Dave Sturino of Hansen's Pool and Spa, whose donation helps support the event. Tickets are sold through the district website, and fine arts coordinator Scott Plank is the contact for information.
