NextNOW Fest

NextNOW Fest 2026 is The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s annual, multi-day arts festival, bringing together live music, comedy, visual art, performances and other experiences by inventive artists from across the country and the University of Maryland community. The festival presents art as a way to imagine the future, build connections and bring people together.

The University of Maryland tradition is part of the university’s Arts for All initiative and partners with Terps After Dark, which supports late-night, on-campus student programming. The festival is open to the general public, and free registration provides priority access to the complete lineup and schedule as well as daily festival reminders.

When: Wednesday, September 9 through Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Showtimes: Wednesday, September 9 at 11:00 a.m.; Thursday, September 10 at 1:00 p.m.; Friday, September 11 at 1:00 p.m.; Saturday, September 12 at 8:00 p.m.; Monday, September 14 at 3:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, September 15 at 5:00 p.m.

Festival Nights: Special festival nights take place at The Clarice on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11.

Venue: University of Maryland, with festival nights at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

Tickets: Free.

Admission: General admission. The festival is open to everyone, including members of the general public.

Registration: Free registration is available and provides priority access to the full 2026 lineup and schedule, along with daily reminders during festival week.

Lineup: The festival features live music, comedy, art, performances and other experiences by artists from around the country and the University of Maryland campus. The page directs visitors to the festival’s full lineup and schedule for detailed programming.

Livestream: The listed festival events are not livestreamed.

Accessibility: Available services include wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted-listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces. ASL interpretation, audio description and captioning are available for select events or by request at least six weeks in advance.

Support: NextNOW Fest is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council, with additional support from Terps After Dark, the University of Maryland’s Arts for All initiative and UMD’s Student Entertainment Events.