'70s Rock Legend Announces Dates for 2026 Farewell Tour
One of the most beloved voices of the folk-rock era is preparing to take her final bow.
Judy Collins has announced dates for her Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour, marking the beginning of what is expected to be her final large-scale run of live performances after more than six decades on the road.
The tour will celebrate a career that has made Collins one of the most respected figures in folk and popular music, introducing generations of listeners to songs that became staples of the singer-songwriter movement.
"Touring has been the great thread of my life - city to city, song to song, face to face," Collins, 87, said in a statement. "The audiences have carried me for decades, and I've never stopped being moved by what can happen in a room when we truly listen to one another. This tour is my way of saying thank you - out loud, together."
The tour will feature appearances from special guests including support at select dates by Richard Thompson, Elles Bailey, Bruce Cockburn and Amanda Shires.
Although she first gained attention as a folk artist, Collins became a mainstream star thanks to recordings that blended folk, pop and singer-songwriter influences. Her version of "Both Sides, Now" helped introduce the songwriting of Joni Mitchell to a wider audience, while "Send in the Clown"s became one of the signature recordings of her career. Over the years, Collins also championed the work of artists such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Mitchell, helping bring many now-classic songs to mainstream audiences.
"Nobody ever told me what to sing," Collins told Classic Bands. "I have a very strong idea what fits me and when I hear it, I know it, which is lucky. Certainly people can make a suggestion. Arif Mardin, who produced a couple of my albums, his widow, she's gone now, suggested that I sing "Salt Of The Earth," the wonderful Rolling Stones' song. And she also suggested I sing "Buddy Can You Spare A Dime." I thought those were two of the best suggestions for songs I ever heard. I did both of them."
Collins' influence extended far beyond music as well.
Collins became an accomplished author, public speaker and advocate for mental health awareness, publishing multiple books while remaining an active performer long after many of her contemporaries retired. Throughout her career, she earned numerous honors, including Grammy recognition and induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Despite announcing a farewell tour, Collins has made it clear in recent years that she has no intention of stepping away from creativity entirely. Instead, the tour represents a chance to celebrate a lifetime of music with the fans who have supported her throughout an extraordinary journey.
For many attendees, the concerts will offer an opportunity to hear songs that have served as the soundtrack to decades of memories. The farewell trek is expected to feature many of Collins' best-known songs alongside stories from a career that has spanned more than 60 years.
Few artists have maintained such a lasting presence in American music.
From the folk revival of the 1960s to the singer-songwriter boom of the 1970s and beyond, Collins has remained a beloved and influential figure whose music continues to resonate across generations.
Now, after a lifetime on stage, the legendary performer is preparing to say goodbye to touring-bringing one of the most remarkable careers in music history full circle.
Judy Collins "Sweet Judy Blue Eyes" Farewell Tour 2026-2027 Dates:
07/04 – Williamsburg, VA @ America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together
07/05 – Williamsburg, VA @ Music Arts Center
07/12 – Campbellford, ON @ Westben Arts Festival Theater
07/15 – Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent *
07/16 – Cohasset, MA @ South Shore Music Circus *
07/18 – Lansdowne, PA @ Lansdowne Theater *
07/20 – Ocean City, NJ @ Ocean City Music Pier ^
07/22 – Denver, CO @ Denver Botanical Garden #
07/24 – Bayfield, WI @ Big Top Chautauqua
08/06 – San Diego, CA @ Humphreys Concerts by the Bay %
08/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Ford Theater #
08/15 – Brownfield, ME @ Stone Mountain
08/16 – Bar Harbor, ME @ Criterion Theater
08/26 – Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theater #
08/27 – Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman Place #
08/30 – Lenox, MA @ Tanglewood $
09/08 – Omaha, NE @ Astro Theater #
09/09 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall #
09/15 – Nashville, TN @ Americana Fest
09/19 – Honolulu, HI @ Blue Note
09/20 – Honolulu, HI @ Blue Note
09/24 – Tucson, AZ @ Fox Theater
09/27 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Lobero Theatre
09/29 – Port Angeles, WA @ Field Arts & Events Hall
09/30 – Kirkland, WA @ Kirkland PAC
10/02 – Grants Pass, OR @ The Rouge Theatre
10/09 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theater
10/16 – Fallon, NV @ Barkley Theater
10/18 – Berkeley, CA @ Cal Performance Arts
10/21 – Cleveland, OH @ Music Box
10/23-24 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk
10/27 – Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota
10/28 – Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota
10/30 – Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota
11/01 – Lafayette, IN @ Long Center for the Performing Arts
11/04 – Munhall, PA @ Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
11/17 – Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
11/18 – Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
11/22 – Morristown, NJ @ MAYO Performing Arts Center
11/29 – Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
12/12 – Riverhead, NY @ Suffolk Theater
12/18 – Ogunquit, ME @ Jonathan's
12/19 – Ogunquit, ME @ Jonathan's
01/09 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Amaturo Theater
01/13 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
01/14 – Orlando, FL @ Plaza Theater
01/16 – Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theater
03/04 – Lexington, KY @ Troubadour Concert Series
03/06 – Pelham, TN @ The Caverns
03/20 – New York, NY @ Town Hall (special guests TBA)
04/10 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
* = w/ Richard Thompson and Elles Bailey
^ = w/ Richard Thompson
# = w/ Bruce Cockburn
$ = w/ Mary Chapin Carpenter, Roseanne Cash, and Amanda Shires
% = w/ Amanda Shires
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM.