TunetrailThe best jazz festivals in Europe 2027
Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and North Sea Jazz in Rotterdam are Europe's two most important jazz festivals. Montreux turns 60 in 2027. July is the busiest month, but the jazz season runs from April all the way into December.
Last updated October 12, 2026 · 32 festivals in this guide
| Festival | Country | Dates | Genre | Size | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreux Jazz Festival | Switzerland | 2 – July 17 | Rock, Pop & Mainstream, Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | Over 100,000 attendees | — |
| North Sea Jazz | Netherlands | 9 – July 11 | Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | 50,000 – 100,000 attendees | Tickets |
| Umbria Jazz Festival | Italy | 3 – July 12, 2026 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | — | Tickets |
| Jazz in Marciac | France | July 20 – August 5, 2026 | Jazz | Over 100,000 attendees | — |
| San Sebastian Jazz Festival | Spain | 22 – July 26, 2026 | Jazz | — | Tickets |
| Jazz à Vienne | France | June 25 – July 10 | Jazz | Over 100,000 attendees | — |
| Copenhagen Jazz Festival | Denmark | 3 – July 12, 2026 | Jazz | Over 100,000 attendees | — |
| Gent Jazz Festival | Belgium | 2 – July 18, 2026 | Jazz, Soul & Funk | 50,000 – 100,000 attendees | Tickets |
| EFG London Jazz Festival | United Kingdom | 13 – November 22, 2026 | Jazz | — | — |
| Love Supreme Jazz Festival | United Kingdom | 2 – July 4 | Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Cully Jazz Festival | Switzerland | 2 – April 10 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Molde International Jazz Festival | Norway | 13 – July 19, 2026 | Jazz | — | — |
| Cheltenham Jazz Festival | United Kingdom | April 28 – May 3 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Pori Jazz | Finland | 15 – July 17 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | Over 100,000 attendees | Tickets |
| Ascona Jazz Festival | Switzerland | June 24 – July 3 | Jazz | — | — |
| Jazz Middelheim | Belgium | 15 – May 17 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | 10,000 – 50,000 attendees | — |
| Jazzfestival Saalfelden | Austria | 19 – August 22 | Jazz | — | — |
| Nattjazz | Norway | May 28 – June 5 | Alternative & Indie, Electronic & Dance, Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Oslo Jazzfestival | Norway | 16 – August 21 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk, World & Reggae | — | — |
| Kongsberg Jazzfestival | Norway | 7 – July 10 | Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival | United Kingdom | 17 – July 26, 2026 | Jazz, Blues | — | — |
| Istanbul Jazz Festival | Turkey | June 30 – July 14, 2026 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk, World & Reggae | — | — |
| Jazz Festival Ljubljana | Slovenia | 1 – July 4, 2026 | Jazz | — | — |
| Jazzkaar | Estonia | April 24 – May 2, 2026 | Alternative & Indie, Electronic & Dance, Jazz | 10,000 – 50,000 attendees | — |
| Jazz Baltica | Germany | 24 – June 27 | Jazz | — | — |
| Glasgow International Jazz Festival | United Kingdom | 10 – June 14, 2026 | Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | Tickets |
| Jazz sous les Pommiers | France | 8 – May 16, 2026 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Casa del Jazz Summer Festival | Italy | June 1 – September 10, 2026 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk, World & Reggae | — | — |
| Jazz à Liège | Belgium | 27 – May 30 | Jazz, Blues, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Pescara Jazz | Italy | 12 – July 19, 2026 | Jazz | — | Tickets |
| We Out Here Festival | United Kingdom | 19 – August 22 | Electronic & Dance, Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | — |
| Cross the Tracks | United Kingdom | May 30 | Hip-Hop & R&B, Jazz, Soul & Funk | — | — |
The European jazz festival is a tradition of its own, and the oldest among them have shaped the genre well beyond their own stages. Montreux Jazz Festival on Lake Geneva marks its 60th anniversary in 2027 and has long been more than a jazz festival – the programme stretches from straight jazz concerts to soul, blues and pop, drawing several hundred thousand people over two weeks. North Sea Jazz in Rotterdam is the densest of them all: three days, many parallel stages, and a programme consistently among the most extensive in Europe.
Italy has two of the most atmospheric. Umbria Jazz in Perugia uses the city's medieval squares and streets as venues, while Pescara Jazz sits on the Adriatic coast. In Switzerland, Cully Jazz takes place in a wine village on Lake Geneva, and Ascona Jazz plays along the lakeside promenade in the Italian-speaking part of the country.
Jazz festivals are consistently smaller and more urban than rock or electronic events, with concerts in halls, churches and squares rather than on festival fields. That makes them easy to combine with an ordinary city break.
- 1
Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux, Switzerland · 2 – July 17
Played in 2026: RAYE & Special Guests, Sekou, EDDY DE PRETTO x MAUD LE PLADEC, LONELY CLUB, Maro +65
- 2
North Sea Jazz
Rotterdam, Netherlands · 9 – July 11
Played in 2026: Y.O.P.E. & Avvnt MM presents: Music for Dogs, Ão, Y-Otis, anaiis, Roy Hargrove's The RH Factor +196
- 3
Umbria Jazz Festival
Perugia / Arena Santa Giuliana / Teatro Morlacchi, Italy · 3 – July 12, 2026
Line-up includes: Sting 3.0, Sugarpie and the Candymen, BEAT: Steve Vai, Adrian Belew, Danny Carey, Tony Levin, Perigeo, Jon Batiste +13
- 4
Jazz in Marciac
Marciac, France · July 20 – August 5, 2026
Line-up includes: Fred Hersch, Samara Joy, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Keziah Jones, Pat Metheny +4
- 5
San Sebastian Jazz Festival
San Sebastián / Donostia, Spain · 22 – July 26, 2026
Line-up includes: Julius Rodriguez, Javi Ruibal Cuarteto + Xan Campos Jazzeñe, Carmen Lundy, Lisa Ono, Marco Mezquida Trio Tāctil +23
- 6
Jazz à Vienne
Vienne, France · June 25 – July 10
Played in 2026: Marcus Miller, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, Angélique Kidjo, Kokoroko +2
- 7
Copenhagen Jazz Festival
København, Denmark · 3 – July 12, 2026
Line-up includes: Mezzoforte, Mari Froes, Hanne Boel, Carsten Dahl, Amanda Ginsburg
- 8
Gent Jazz Festival
Bijloke site, Belgium · 2 – July 18, 2026
Line-up includes: Lakecia Benjamin, Stanley Clarke N*4Ever, Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane | Miles Davis & John Coltrane Celebration, Sun Ra Arkestra, Bodem +94
- 9
- 10
Love Supreme Jazz Festival
Glynde, United Kingdom · 2 – July 4
Played in 2026: Samara Joy, Ezra Collective, Esperanza Spalding, The Temptations, Four Tops +3
- 11
- 12
Molde International Jazz Festival
Molde, Norway · 13 – July 19, 2026
Line-up includes: Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jaga Jazzist, Blow Mafia, SML, Charlotte Dos Santos +1
- 13
Cheltenham Jazz Festival
Cheltenham, United Kingdom · April 28 – May 3
Played in 2026: Jack Savoretti, Jessie J, Nigel Kennedy, Joss Stone, Joshua Redman +8
- 14
Pori Jazz
Kirjurinluoto, Finland · 15 – July 17
Played in 2026: Matteo Mancuso, Sasha Berliner, Mikko Kuustonen, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Jalen Ngonda +22
- 15
Ascona Jazz Festival
Ascona town venues, Switzerland · June 24 – July 3
Played in 2026: Louisiana State University Brass Band, Babydoll Chyna Doll, Mitch Woods, The Rag Messengers, Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet +12
- 16
Jazz Middelheim
Antwerpen, Belgium · 15 – May 17
Played in 2026: Flea, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Chris Potter, Isaiah Collier, Annahstasia +1
- 17
Jazzfestival Saalfelden
Saalfelden, Austria · 19 – August 22
Played in 2026: Yvonne Moriel, Chicago Underground Duo, Rob Mazurek, Chad Taylor, Chris Speed
- 18
Nattjazz
Bergen, Norway · May 28 – June 5
Played in 2026: Chris Potter, Isaiah Collier, Nils Petter Molvær, Elephant9, Cortex +2
- 19
Oslo Jazzfestival
Flere arenaer i Oslo sentrum, Norway · 16 – August 21
Played in 2026: The Source: of Oslo, Serendip: wa!, Parade: Sonic Sensation, Rådhuskonsert: Laura-Marie Rueslåtten & Kristina Fransson, Brian Blade, Bugge Wesseltoft feat. Mari Boine +53
- 20
Kongsberg Jazzfestival
Kongsberg, Norway · 7 – July 10
Played in 2026: Samara Joy, Nils Petter Molvær, Khmer, Bugge Wesseltoft, Arild Andersen +2
- 21
Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Edinburgh, United Kingdom · 17 – July 26, 2026
Line-up includes: Tuba Skinny, Davina & The Vagabonds, Liane Carroll, Scott Hamilton, The London Afrobeat Collective
- 22
Istanbul Jazz Festival
Istanbul, Turkey · June 30 – July 14, 2026
Line-up includes: Marcus Miller, Robert Plant, Suzi Dian, Joe Lovano, Veronica Swift +2
- 23
Jazz Festival Ljubljana
Ljubljana, Slovenia · 1 – July 4, 2026
Line-up includes: Pat Metheny, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bilal, Sun-Mi Hong, Pasquale Mirra
- 24
Jazzkaar
Tallinn, Estonia · April 24 – May 2, 2026
Line-up includes: Bill Frisell, Jordan Rakei, Kneebody, The Kennedy Administration, Mingo Rajandi
- 25
Jazz Baltica
Strandpark Timmendorfer Strand, Germany · 24 – June 27
Played in 2026: Nils Landgren + Big Band des Ostsee-Gymnasiums, Emil Brandqvist Trio, Norrbotten Big Band, Michael Mayo, Ivan Lins +6
- 26
Glasgow International Jazz Festival
Glasgow venues, United Kingdom · 10 – June 14, 2026
Line-up includes: Mario Biondi + Nick Peacock (DJ set), Tao, Madeleine, C.A.L.I.E, MacDonald, Burt, MacGlone & Robertson +8
- 27
Jazz sous les Pommiers
Coutances, France · 8 – May 16, 2026
Line-up includes: Joshua Redman, Shai Maestro, Keziah Jones, Anne Paceo, Clément Janinet +1
- 28
Casa del Jazz Summer Festival
Roma, Italy · June 1 – September 10, 2026
Line-up includes: Cécile McLorin Salvant, Nate Smith, Fred Hersch, Kris Davis, Diana Krall +4
- 29
Jazz à Liège
Le Forum / Le Trocadéro / Le Reflektor / La Cité Miroir / OPRL / Hôtel de Clercx / Brasserie Sauvenière / Régina Club, Belgium · 27 – May 30
Line-up includes: Jack Wyllie, Jasmine Myra, Greg Foat Trio, Gotts Street Park, Roberto Fonseca & Vincent Segal +2
- 30
Pescara Jazz
Pescara, Italy · 12 – July 19, 2026
Line-up includes: PAOLO FRESU “Kind of lives”, Auditorium Flaiano, BLUES FOR PINO – Tributo a Pino Daniele, Porto Turistico, KURT ELLING meets MEDIT ORCHESTRA diretta da ANGELO VALORI +5
- 31
We Out Here Festival
Wimborne St Giles, United Kingdom · 19 – August 22
Played in 2026: Dave Okumu, corto.alto, Mulatu Astatke, Gary Bartz, Shabaka +2
- 32
Cross the Tracks
London, United Kingdom · May 30
Played in 2026: Kokoroko, Little Simz, Jay Crookes, Don West, Ear +1
Month by month
April 2026
May 2026
July 2026
November 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which is Europe's best-known jazz festival?
Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, founded in 1967 and drawing several hundred thousand visitors each year. The festival marks its 60th anniversary in 2027.
Which jazz festival has the largest programme?
North Sea Jazz in Rotterdam, which packs an exceptionally extensive programme into three days across many parallel stages.
When do the jazz festivals take place?
Most fall in July: Montreux, North Sea Jazz, Umbria Jazz, Jazz in Marciac and Pori Jazz all run then. But jazz has the longest season of any genre — Cully Jazz and Jazzkaar are in April, Jazzfest Berlin and the EFG London Jazz Festival in autumn, and Umbria Jazz Winter falls between Christmas and New Year.
Do I have to buy a full festival pass?
No – several European jazz festivals sell tickets to individual concerts alongside passes. That's standard at Montreux, Umbria Jazz and Cully Jazz.
Are jazz festivals only jazz?
Rarely. Montreux has long booked soul, blues, pop and rock alongside the jazz, and most larger jazz festivals have broader programmes than their names suggest.
Do jazz festivals work as a city break?
Yes, they're largely urban. Umbria Jazz uses Perugia's historic centre, Montreux sits on Lake Geneva, and North Sea Jazz is held in a concert centre in Rotterdam.
Jazz festival programmes are often published earlier than in other genres, but in smaller batches – individual concerts are added throughout spring. Several festivals sell tickets per concert alongside full passes, making it possible to cherry-pick single names. The dates and line-ups here update continuously.