Held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Fort Adams State Park, the festival attracts visitors from around the world who enjoy the works of established and upcoming jazz artists. The jazz festival, held during the summer, is sponsored by the health care safety company CareFusion.
One of the earliest and most legendary shows, on July 7, 1956, featured jazz great Duke Ellington, whose critically acclaimed performance made it to the cover of Time Magazine. Other well-known artists to have performed there include Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
Festival attendees can purchase tickets in advance through Ticketmaster. Many of the past legendary performances at the Newport Jazz Festival have also been recorded and made available for purchase on CD or on DVD. National Public Radio, along with the media stations WBGO and WGBH, present live streaming coverage of the current year's festival and some archival recordings from the past.