Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam 2026 brings Kingfish, Lukas Nelson and Daniel Donato to Asheville

Warren Haynes’ 2026 Christmas Jam has a lineup worth putting on a guitar fan’s calendar. Gov’t Mule, Daniel Donato & Friends and special guests Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Lukas Nelson are among the announced artists for December 12, 2026, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Greta Van Fleet, The War On Drugs and JJ Grey & Mofro are also on the bill, with Jesse Welles and Yola among the special guests. The organizer’s artist page additionally lists Warren Haynes & Friends. The lineup announcement arrived on October 15, with ticket sales beginning in stages on October 20.

A guitar-heavy bill, not a promised all-star jam

For GuitarGangsters readers, the attraction is the range of players gathered around Haynes’ annual event. Kingfish, Nelson and Donato give guitar followers several reasons to look beyond the largest names on the poster.

That is a reason to follow the show, not a prediction of what anybody will play. The announcement confirms the artists, but it does not establish specific collaborations, song choices or the guitars and amplifiers they will bring. More guests are still to be announced.

December 12: venue, doors and ticket dates

The venue confirms Saturday, December 12, 2026 at ExploreAsheville.com Arena in Harrah’s Cherokee Center. Doors are at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m., both local Asheville time.

• VIP and travel packages: Tuesday, October 20 at 10 a.m. EDT.
• Local in-person presale at the arena box office: Wednesday, October 21 at 10 a.m. EDT.
• General sale online and at the box office: Friday, October 23 at 10 a.m. EDT.

Each sale opens at 4 p.m. in Sweden (CEST) on its respective October date. These ticket dates are for the 2026 event.

The benefit behind the bill

The announcement identifies this as the 34th annual Christmas Jam, with proceeds benefiting Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and BeLoved Asheville. The event’s charitable purpose remains central to the night.

Want to dig deeper into the guitars and gear behind the host? Read our full Warren Haynes guitars and gear guide.

Photo: Kurt “Doc” Huot, “Warren-Haynes 2008.jpg” via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Warren Haynes with Gov’t Mule, 24 July 2008. Brightened by Bubba73 (2022). Reproduced at reduced size without further retouching. Surrounding editorial artwork generated for GuitarGangsters; not a photograph of the 2026 event. Photo-based editorial artwork: CC BY-SA 2.0. Separate GuitarGangsters logo excluded.