JAMBALOO is gearing up for its return.
The free, week-long event, which spread across multiple North Texas cities for the first time in the winter of 2025, is returning for a third installment in 2027, kicking off Feb. 11 and continuing through Feb. 21.
Fifteen different venues — from Dallas to Fort Worth and everywhere in between — will host more than 60 local and national acts from a wide spectrum of musical genres over the course of eight days.
The artist line-up, participating venues and complete schedule is scheduled to be announced in December. As with previous JAMBALOOs, attending the concerts will be free with an RSVP.
According to organizers, the 2026 edition drew 8,200 attendees -a 4 percent jump from 2025 - and generated an estimated $5 million in economic impact while also raising more than $30,000 for local arts and nonprofit partners.
Billed by its co-creators, long-time North Texas booking agency Spune Productions and the law firm Mullen & Mullen, as “a community-driven initiative designed to uplift the local music scene during challenging times,” JAMBALOO will also likely incorporate discussion around industry trends, challenges and strategies, alongside its celebration of live music.
$20,000 music prize
Also returning for 2027 is the JAMBALOO Music Prize, which recognizes the best, independent full-length album released by any Dallas-Fort Worth artist within the eligibility window.
The contest rewards the winning musician with $20,000, alongside recording, promotional and industry support. The submission process for the Music Prize — its inaugural winner was Fort Worth-based singer-songwriter Matthew McNeal — opens on Sept. 22 at jambaloo.live.
The second annual JAMBALOO Music Prize will be awarded June 5 during an event at the Longhorn Ballroom, where finalists will perform and the winner will be announced live.
“Dallas-Fort Worth has extraordinary artists and venues, but talent and hard work alone do not guarantee that an album will be heard or that an independent stage will remain open,” said Joe Morrison, JAMBALOO co-founder and attorney at Mullen & Mullen Injury Law, in a statement. “JAMBALOO Festival brings audiences into the venues where music communities grow, while the Music Prize gives a local artist meaningful resources to keep creating. Together, these programs invest in the people and places that make North Texas music special.”
DETAILS: JAMBALOO, multiple venues, Dallas and Fort Worth. Feb. 11-21, 2027. Admission is free.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at preston@kxt.org or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social). Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
