Staying in Avalon for JazzTrax 2026

Catalina JazzTrax is back for its 39th year: October 8–11 and October 15–18, 2026. Thursdays are usually outdoors at Descanso Beach; Friday through Sunday move into the Casino Ballroom. Full showtimes live on the JazzTrax schedule — treat that page as official if anything below shifts.

I’m Rimas with Catalina Holiday. We rent a few Hamilton Cove villas above Avalon. Here’s who is booked so far, plus the lodging side guests ask us about every October.

Opening weekend — Oct 8–11

• Thu (Descanso, separate ticket): Chase Huna, then Peter White unplugged under the stars
• Fri (Casino): Roberto Restuccia; Euge Groove (back on stage after a few years away)
• Sat: Jeff Bradshaw; Chris Standring; Josh Vietti; Chuck Mangione Tribute led by Grant Geissman, with Benny Benack III and Gap Mangione
• Sun: Nathan Mitchell; Acoustic Alchemy; Four80East; Kirk Whalum

Closing weekend — Oct 15–18

• Thu (Descanso, separate ticket): Blake Aaron, then the David Benoit Trio
• Fri (Casino) — Ladies Night: Andréa Lisa, then Yuko Mabuchi
• Sat: Adrian Crutchfield; Adam Hawley; the Fattburger Band reunion; Vincent Ingala (Saturday night headliner)
• Sun: Andrey Chmut; Pieces of a Dream; 3rd Force; David Sanborn Tribute by his own Side Guys (Eric Marienthal on sax, with Ricky Peterson, Nicky Moroch, Gene Lake, Andre Berry, Ramon Yslas)

More names and exact session times: Line_Up. Buy tickets on Tix or through the schedule page. Thursday Descanso is usually not included in a Friday–Sunday series ticket. Sales are final; don’t trust a blog for how many seats are left — if Tix lists it, it’s on sale.

What’s already sold out

As of late September, Peter White’s Thursday Descanso Beach show (Oct 8, 7:30 p.m.) is sold out. That’s a separate ticket from the Casino weekend series. Other sessions — including Vincent Ingala and the rest of opening/closing weekend — may still be open; check Tix or the schedule before you plan the trip around a specific act. We won’t list seat counts here; they change too fast.

If Descanso Thursday is your must-see, watch JazzTrax for any returns or plan on the Casino nights instead. Lodging still books on its own calendar either way.

Book the boat before the band

The festival doesn’t add ferries for you. Catalina Express fills on JazzTrax Fridays and Sundays. Reserve early from Long Beach or San Pedro if you’ve got bags and a golf-cart plan. Schedules and fares by port. Build slack into check-in. A late boat and a 7 p.m. Casino show is a bad night.

Helicopter option

If you’d rather skip the boat, Maverick Helicopters flies Catalina transfers from Long Beach (Queen Mary) and Santa Monica — about 15–30 minutes depending on the pad. Book on their site; luggage limits apply. Ask us when you reserve a villa — we offer Maverick discounts when you book a Catalina Holiday property (details on request with your confirmation).

Opening vs closing for lodging

Opening weekend is usually the louder demand week for places to stay. Closing weekend can be easier — we’ve seen Hamilton Cove calendars stay lighter that second block even when the Casino is busy. Lock week one early if your must-sees are Peter White, Euge, Kirk, Acoustic Alchemy, or the Mangione tribute. If you’re flexible, week two (Sanborn Side Guys, Vincent, Pieces, Fattburger) is often the calmer play on crowds and rates.

Where you sleep matters

Shows end. Avalon doesn’t. Want bar noise after the Casino? Stay downtown. Want the music, then a quiet balcony and a kitchen? Hamilton Cove — gated, short golf-cart ride into town, quieter at night. A lot of our Catalina JazzTrax guests pick the cove on purpose.

Read the listing for cart, bedrooms, and HOA rules. Festival weekends still mean the guest count on the reservation. No surprise party houses.

What we’d do

Pick your weekend off the lineup, buy ferry and festival tickets, then grab lodging. Browse catalinaholiday.com, or email [email protected] with dates and how many people. Say it’s JazzTrax — we’ll flag cart and check-in if the boat’s tight.

October can be beautiful or foggy. Pack a layer. Don’t bet the whole trip on a perfect sunset.