[title]
If you've ever wished a jazz festival came with better snacks, NoMad is about to grant your wish.
The second annual NoMad Jazz Festival returns to Madison Square Park on Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8, bringing two days of free performances from acclaimed jazz musicians. But this year, Saturday's lineup comes with an extra reason to show up hungry: the debut of the NoMad Jazz Festival Food Market, a one-day outdoor pop-up celebrating one of Manhattan's best eating neighborhoods.
Running from noon to 8 pm on Saturday, August 8, the market will take over Broadway between 23rd and 24th Streets, just steps from the festival's main stage. Presented by the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, it will feature food from nine neighborhood favorites: AVO, Bear Donut, Blackbarn, Brown Bag Sandwich Co., Eataly, Honeybrains, LenLen, Lola's and Tacombi.
Expect everything from bao buns, tacos and Thai chicken wings to sandwiches, sliders and fresh salads, followed by gelato and donuts if you're in the mood for dessert. Organizers say there will be bites across a range of price points, making it easy to turn an afternoon of free music into a full-fledged neighborhood food crawl.
Of course, the music remains the main event: the festival's free mainstage performances feature artists including José James, George Cables, Ben Wendel, Jaleel Shaw with special guest Camille Thurman and The Jazz Gallery All-Stars featuring Renée Neufville. Family programming, including a morning Swing-Along and performances by student musicians, rounds out the daytime lineup before evening headliners take the stage.
The festival itself runs from August 2 through 8, with pop-up performances throughout NoMad and Flatiron before culminating in the two-day concert series in Madison Square Park. No tickets are required for the mainstage performances, making this one of the city's best free summer outings—and now, one of its tastiest, too.