David Byrne, Robert Plant, Flying Lotus & More Top Big Ears Festival 2026 Lineup

Big Ears Festival 2026 returns March 26 – 29 at multiple locations in Knoxville, Tennessee. The music and arts festival will feature headliners David Byrne, Robert Plant and Flying Lotus, among several others.

The four-day event will present over 250 events across more than 20 venues in downtown Knoxville. Big Ears Festival 2026 will feature concerts, films, conversations, exhibitions, workshops and interactive experiences.

Also performing at Big Ears Festival 2026 are Pat Metheny, Laurie Anderson, John Zorn, Dirty Three, Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio), Perfume Genius, John Scofield Trio, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Patrick Watson, Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles, Mary Halvorson, Madison Cunningham, Patricia Brennan, MJ Lenderman & The Wind, Mei Semones, Don Was and The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Orchestra Baobab, Cymande, Lucrecia Dalt, Richard Thompson, Terry Allen, Shabaka, Mary Lattimore, Annahstasia, Isaiah Collier, Hayden Pedigo, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, YAGODY, Pino Palladino & Blake Mills, and many more.

Special performances at Big Ears Festival 2026 will include the North American premiere of Hania Rani‘s concerto, Non-Fiction, Ghost Train Orchestra plays Moondog, wild Up plays Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell, and Nels Cline's Lovers conducted by Michael Leonhart.

Festival passes go on sale Thursday, September 11 at 9 a.m. ET.