National Jug Band Jubilee

The Jubilee pressed pause on our annual festival starting in 2023 and focused on doing other types of events such as the Summer Swing event and a show with Jerron Paxton at 21C - both in collaboration with the Louisville Folk School. We've done kids activities at the city's 4th of July event and at World Fest. We also got a jug band on the stage at World Fest. But the message has been received loud & clear that folks want the annual festival to return! We need your help to make it happen. Help us put on a Jubilee festival in 2026! Our fundraising campaign kicks off NOW! 

Since 2005, the National Jug Band Jubilee has celebrated the rich history of Jug Band, Acoustic Blues, and Pre-War Jazz music and its important cultural connection to Louisville, KY - the birthplace of Jug Band music! For 18 years the Jubilee has focused on historical preservation, education, and outreach through activities such as jug band music performances in local schools, instrument making workshops for kids, and a free annual festival featuring the country's best jug bands, kids activities, performance workshops, small craft vendors, and many, many smiles! In recent years "The Jubilee" has extended its traditional one-day musical programming to include Jubilee-Eve performances and panel discussions on historical and cultural topics surrounding Jug Band music.

Partnerships have been established with other local organizations such as the Kentuckiana Blues Society (KBS), the Filson Historical Society, Louisville Historical League and the Louisville Folk School. In 2017, a cooperative effort between the National Jug Band Jubilee and the KBS resulted in the purchase of biographical headstones for several important figures in the history of jug and jazz music whose grave sites were previously unmarked. Efforts like this define the mission and mindset of the Jubilee, elevate it beyond musical performance, and help us appreciate and acknowledge the humanity of the artists.

Who We Are

The National Jug Band Jubilee celebrates the history of Jug Band Music
in Louisville, KY - the birthplace of Jug Band music! The Jubilee
focuses on education and historical preservation through activities such
as jug band music performances in local schools, biographical
headstones for musicians buried in previously unmarked graves,
instrument making workshops for kids at community events and a free,
annual festival featuring the country's best jug bands, jug band
workshops and merchandise.