Avery*Sunshine Headlines Maryland Summer Music Festival Tonight in Columbia

Avery*Sunshine and Kevin Jackson appear beside the Maryland Summer Music Festival title.

Avery*Sunshine brings her soul-forward live show to Howard County tonight as the headliner of the Maryland Summer Music Festival 2026. The one-night event begins at 7 p.m. at the Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts in Columbia, with doors scheduled to open at 6.

The lineup pairs national recognition with Maryland musicians. Smooth-jazz artist and festival producer Kevin Jackson joins Avery*Sunshine alongside singer-songwriter Marc Evans, saxophonist Isaac Parham and vocalist Brigette Johnson. Organizers describe the event as a celebration of live performance and the depth of talent working inside the state as well as beyond it.

Avery*Sunshine is the anchor for an audience that expects musicianship, warmth and full-bodied R&B rather than a quick festival cameo. Her catalog moves between gospel foundation, jazz phrasing and grown-folks soul, making the theater setting a natural fit. Jackson's presence gives the bill a direct Baltimore connection and keeps the local artists from feeling like an opening footnote.

The show is at 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia. The organizer's current ticket page lists free parking and says general-admission seats may be sold at the door only if space remains. Because door sales are not guaranteed, attendees should check the official festival page before leaving and confirm the latest availability.

That practical detail matters on a Saturday when the region has several competing music and culture events. The festival's advantage is focus: one indoor stage, a defined lineup and a program built around singers and instrumentalists who can carry a room without spectacle doing the work for them.

PowerPage's guide to Love Groove Festival covers the larger waterfront celebration happening in Baltimore today. The Maryland Summer Music Festival offers a complementary option for listeners who want a seated evening centered on R&B, jazz and Maryland talent. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the music begins at 7.