Grammy-winning artists Ledisi, Durand Bernarr and Big Freedia are among the performers slated for the 2026 Blue Note Jazz Festival New York. Being staged at multiple venues across the Big Apple, the 15th annual festival begins June 1.

On that date, two-time Grammy-winning hip-hop group Arrested Development will kick off the proceedings at Sony Hall. Running through July 1, Blue Note Jazz Festival New York’s additional lineup includes UMI, Destin Conrad and Cymande. Among the additional venues presenting performances are the Blue Note Jazz Club and SummerStage.

The festival — which concludes July 1 — will also feature the Official Blue Note Jazz Fest Midnight Jam presented by Chris Rob on June 26, in addition to its popular jazz brunches. Blue Note Jazz Festival New York will run concurrently with the Blue Note Jazz Festival Hollywood Bowl. Presented in collaboration with the LA Phil, the latter fest — whose lineup includes Patti LaBelle, Gregory Porter, Wyclef Jean and Samara Joy — takes place June 13-14.

“We started the Blue Note Jazz Festival New York 15 years ago with a focus on unique curation and programming an eclectic range of artistry, said Blue Note talent buyer Alex Kurland in a statement. “The festival has always focused on presenting artists who are singular and one of a kind, who push the sound and state of the music forward. Artists who are completely individual.

“This year is particularly special for us with a lineup that continues to read like a playlist of taste, focused on artists that we love,” added Kurland. “Artists who are your favorite artists’ favorite artists. Stylistically diverse, singular and soulful. This year’s lineup spans from Big Freedia to Brian Blade, to Ledisi and Durand Bernarr; from Dirty Dozen Brass Band to Kokoroko and MonoNeon. Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah to Destin Conrad and BLK ODYSSY. Incomparable voices that creatively propel the sound and music culture forward.”

Find more information about Blue Note Festival New York and tickets on the event’s website.

Live entertainment company Venu Holding Corporation (VENU) raised $86.25 million from institutional investors through an oversubscribed stock offering this week, the company announced on Thursday (March 12).

Colorado-based VENU, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange, said on Tuesday (March 10) it had completed an underwritten public offering for 18.75 million shares sold for $4 each. Executives said the stock offering beat the $75 million in gross proceeds they initially expected, despite widespread market volatility sparked by the conflict in Iran.

“The market is hungry, and this raise proves it,” J.W. Roth, VENU’s founder, chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “We’ve created a model to scale premium entertainment destinations across the country, and investors are recognizing the opportunity.”

Founded in 2017, VENU owns, operates and is developing live music venues in cities like Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, and El Paso and Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas. VENU says its luxury music venues put a family and group-friendly spin on typical VIP offerings with fire pit suites, which individuals can buy shares in.

The company, which boasts shareholders including Niall Horan and Dierks Bentley, said the capital raised through this week’s offering will go toward accelerating development of projects currently underway in Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma.

VENU’s flagship facility, the Ford Ampitheater in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was named the Top West Coast Amphitheater on Billboard‘s Top Venues of 2026. The 8,000-seat, open-air venue, which opened in August 2024, has held concerts by Cage the Elephant, OneRepublic, Miranda Lambert, Dwight Yoakam, The Black Keys and Godsmack, in partnership with promoter AEG Presents.

The company said it expects to open three more amphitheaters in 2026 and aims to operate 25 amphitheaters and 15 indoor entertainment complexes by 2030.

“We might be $4 or $5 today, but we’re going to $50. This capital is what accelerates us to get there,” Roth said in a video posted to YouTube.

VENU’s stock was trading at $3.56 around 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, near its 52-week low of $3.49. The S&P 500 index was down 1.26% on Thursday.

Cynthia Erivo, Sade, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Kate Nash are among the bold-faced names on the shortlist for the Rainbow Honours 2026, which celebrates individuals, organizations and cultural moments advancing LGBTQIA+ equality across the U.K. and beyond.

Sade, Ellis-Bextor and Nash are recognized in the Celebrity Ally of the Year category, alongside actors David Tennant and Eddie Redmayne, both long-standing supporters of LGBTQIA+ equality. Sade is currently a nominee for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026. Ellis-Bextor had a global hit in 2024 with her 2001 song “Murder on the Dancefloor” after it was featured in the film Saltburn. They are joined on the shortlist by broadcaster Jeremy Vine, actor Paapa Essiedu, actress Suranne Jones, and actors Alison King and Balvinder Sopal.

The Celebrity LGBTQIA Champion of the Year category celebrates high-profile LGBTQIA+ figures using their platforms to drive visibility and change. Nominees include Erivo, whose continued advocacy for LGBTQIA+ representation and inclusion has resonated globally, and actor Andrew Scott, whose openness around identity has helped bring LGBTQIA+ stories to wider audiences.

They are joined by broadcaster and athlete Adele Roberts, comedian Rosie Jones, actor Layton Williams, chef and presenter Gok Wan MBE, Olympic swimmer Michael Gunning, reality TV trailblazer Ella Morgan, actor Heather Peace, and campaigner Jordan Sangha.

The awards also recognize the cultural moments shaping the national conversation around LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Nominees for Media Moment of the Year include Alan Carr and Cat Burns’ starring appearances in Celebrity Traitors; Coronation Street’s same-sex domestic abuse storyline; and the BBC’s coverage of Pride Month.

“The Rainbow Honours celebrate the individuals and organisations who are truly making a difference for LGBTQIA+ communities,” Linda Riley, founder of the Rainbow Honours, says in a statement. “From global stars using their influence to champion equality, to charities providing life-saving support and businesses building inclusive workplaces, the shortlist reflects the incredible breadth of work happening across society. We are proud to honour those who are helping to create a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone.”

The ceremony will take place on June 11 at The London Hilton on Park Lane, hosted by comedian Steven Bailey and featuring a special performance from disco greats Boney M.

The full 2026 shortlist can be viewed at the Rainbow Honours website.

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