Al Sears Music Fest returns to Macomb for four days of live music

The Al Sears Music Fest returns to Macomb, Illinois, Sept. 16-19, 2026, with jazz, bluegrass, R&B and Latin jazz honoring hometown saxophonist and bandleader “Big” Al Sears. The festival also gives visitors a chance to pair concerts with downtown attractions like Macombopoly.

Why it matters: - The festival revives a Macomb music tradition and spotlights “Big” Al Sears, whose career helped bridge jazz, rhythm & blues and early rock & roll. - The event is a local tourism draw that pairs live performances with downtown Macomb experiences and regional history. - The lineup spans student ensembles, traditional music and genre-crossing acts, reflecting Sears’ broad influence.

What happened: - The Al Sears Music Fest runs Sept. 16-19, 2026, at venues throughout Macomb, Illinois. - The event honors Macomb native “Big” Al Sears, a tenor saxophonist, bandleader, songwriter and entrepreneur. - The festival follows the annual Al Sears Jazz Festival, which ran for 15 years from 2002 through 2016. - The new festival is presented in Unforgettable Forgottonia with performances across jazz, bluegrass, R&B, Latin jazz and more.

The details: - Wednesday, Sept. 16: Chicken Wire Empire performs 7:30-9 p.m. at Western Illinois University’s Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts in a ticketed show. - Thursday, Sept. 17: The WIU Jazz Combo plays 5:30-7:30 p.m. at The Wine Sellers. - Friday, Sept. 18: The Western Illinois Museum hosts an evening of dance instruction and music, starting with doors and bar service at 5 p.m. - Friday’s schedule includes Rose Dance Co. from 5-5:30 p.m., WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra from 5:30-6:30 p.m., another dance lesson from 6:30-7 p.m. and State of Mind from 7-9 p.m. - State of Mind will mix R&B, Motown, jazz and blues. - Saturday, Sept. 19: The Western Illinois Museum opens at noon with a Spotlight on Local Talent. - Saturday’s lineup includes the Zoë Rose Trio from noon-1:45 p.m., a Western Illinois Traditional Music Association jam session from 2-3:45 p.m., Nico Berbaran from 5-6:30 p.m. and the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project from 7-9 p.m. - Sears performed with Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, Lionel Hampton and Johnny Hodges. - Sears later led and directed Alan Freed’s live Rock & Roll Revue and toured with Bill Haley & His Comets, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, LaVern Baker, The Platters, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers and others. - Former Rock and Roll Hall of Fame President Terry Stewart called Sears a “renaissance musician and entrepreneur” whose career spanned jazz’s breakthrough years and the rise of rock & roll. - Sears was active in the Civil Rights Movement and broke the color line in upper management at major record companies. - Macombopoly is a free, app-powered, 170,000-square-foot Monopoly-style experience on Macomb’s Historic Courthouse Square. - Macombopoly honors Macomb-born Lizzie Magie, inventor of The Landlord’s Game, the precursor to Monopoly. - The Macombopoly experience is open 24/7 and uses oversized game pieces, local history, trivia and challenges to guide visitors downtown. - Festival information, including the schedule, lineup and tickets, is available at the festival website. - More information about Macombopoly and Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia is available at visitforgottonia.com.

Between the lines: - The programming mixes heritage acts and younger musicians, which helps the festival function as both a tribute and a talent showcase. - Pairing the festival with Macombopoly broadens the appeal beyond music fans and encourages visitors to spend time downtown. - The event also reinforces Macomb’s effort to tie local identity to nationally recognized music and game history.

What's next: - The festival will unfold across four days in mid-September with ticketed and free events. - Visitors can expect a weekend built around concerts, dancing, jam sessions and downtown exploration. - Organizers are directing attendees to the festival website for the full schedule and ticket details.

The bottom line: - Macomb is using Al Sears’ legacy to anchor a multi-day celebration of music, local history and downtown tourism.