National Jug Band Jubilee

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, and the Louisville Historical League.  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.

Times are changing.... A global pandemic put the Jubilee on hold in 2020 and 2021 while the world worked remotely and shied away from group events.  Upon our return in 2022 we found it much more difficult to secure performers, vending, and our all-volunteer staff.  Production costs have also increased exponentially and September has become much more competitive for local events. These factors have been an inspiration for change in our organization. Instead of focusing our efforts on a single day festival, it's now our mission to make a year-long presence in the Louisville community. We'd like to continue to cultivate relationships with other like-minded organizations and venues in Louisville.  We'd like to expand our efforts in outreach and engagement in our community by bringing Jug Bands to local schools, hosting panel discussions on musical and cultural topics, and sponsoring performances throughout the year. 

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.