looketup.com
Events · Top 10

Top 10 Jazz Festivals Worth the Trip in 2027

By Kory White · Updated Nov 2026 · 4 min read
Montreux Jazz Festival
Direct answer

The Montreux Jazz Festival is the jazz festival most worth traveling for, running 2-17 July 2027 for its 61st edition. The Monterey Jazz Festival (24-26 September 2027) is #2 and the Newport Jazz Festival is #3.

At a glance

#PickLatest datesBest for
1Montreux Jazz Festival2-17 July 2027A long, lakeside summer trip built around jazz
2Monterey Jazz Festival24-26 September 2027A seven-decade milestone weekend on the California coast
3Newport Jazz Festival31 July-2 August 2026Seaside jazz at a historic fort
4Detroit Jazz Festival4-7 September 2026A big free festival over Labor Day weekend
5Gent Jazz1-17 July 2027A Belgian city break with a July jazz programme
6Jazzfest Berlin28-31 October 2027An autumn festival with a city-wide programme
7EFG London Jazz Festival13-22 November 2026A November festival spread across a whole city
8Copenhagen Jazz Festival3-12 July 2026Free outdoor shows spread over a whole city
9San Sebastián Jazzaldia22-26 July 2026A Basque coast festival with headline names
10Jazzfestival Saalfelden20-23 August 2026An Alpine-town festival with free city shows

Pick by what you want

Best overall
Montreux Jazz Festival
Best free festival
Detroit Jazz Festival
Best autumn festival
Jazzfest Berlin
Most concerts
Copenhagen Jazz Festival
Best November festival
EFG London Jazz Festival

The ranking

1

Montreux Jazz Festival

Montreux Jazz Festival
Photo: Kalai Ramu / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe festival to plan a trip around.
Latest dates: 2-17 July 2027Edition: 61stFounded: 1967 by Claude NobsCountry: Switzerland

The Montreux Jazz Festival runs 2-17 July 2027 in Switzerland for its 61st edition. It was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs.

Go ifA long, lakeside summer trip built around jazz
Skip ifYou want a short weekend
Why #1 over #2: It has confirmed 2027 dates and a 1967 founding, ahead of Monterey’s 1958 start.
2

Monterey Jazz Festival

Monterey Jazz Festival
Photo: Kazuho Okui from Santa Clara, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe 2027 milestone pick.
Latest dates: 24-26 September 2027Edition: 70thFounded: 1958

The Monterey Jazz Festival takes place 24-26 September 2027 as its 70th edition, marking seven decades since it began in 1958.

Go ifA seven-decade milestone weekend on the California coast
Skip ifYou can only travel in summer
Why #2 over #3: It also has confirmed 2027 dates, and its 70th edition tops Newport’s 2026 dates.
3

Newport Jazz Festival

Newport Jazz Festival
Photo: Vbrunophotog / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe longest-running pick on the list.
Latest dates: 31 July-2 August 2026Edition: 72ndVenue: Fort Adams State ParkThree-day pass: $314.15 general admission

The Newport Jazz Festival ran 31 July-2 August 2026 at Fort Adams State Park as its 72nd edition. A three-day general admission pass was $314.15.

Go ifSeaside jazz at a historic fort
Skip ifYou need 2027 dates today
Why #3 over #4: Its 72nd edition is the highest on the list, though Detroit is free.
4

Detroit Jazz Festival

Detroit Jazz Festival
Photo: 42-BRT / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe best free-admission pick.
Latest dates: 4-7 September 2026Edition: 47thAdmission: FreeStages: Four

The Detroit Jazz Festival ran 4-7 September 2026 as its 47th edition, with free admission and four stages.

Go ifA big free festival over Labor Day weekend
Skip ifYou want assigned seats
Why #4 over #5: Free admission beats Gent Jazz for anyone watching costs.
5

Gent Jazz

Gent Jazz
Looketup VerdictThe 2027 city-break festival.
Latest dates: 1-17 July 2027Location: Ghent, Belgium

Gent Jazz is set for 1-17 July 2027 in Ghent, Belgium.

Go ifA Belgian city break with a July jazz programme
Skip ifYou want a single-weekend festival
Why #5 over #6: Its confirmed 2027 dates beat Berlin’s autumn timing for a summer trip.
6

Jazzfest Berlin

Jazzfest Berlin
Photo: Bugge6 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe autumn Berlin festival.
Latest dates: 28-31 October 2027Edition: 63rd2026 venues: Haus der Berliner Festspiele, A-Trane, Quasimodo and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Jazzfest Berlin takes place 28-31 October 2027. Its 63rd edition in 2026 used the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, A-Trane, Quasimodo and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

Go ifAn autumn festival with a city-wide programme
Skip ifYou want a summer outdoor festival
Why #6 over #7: It has confirmed 2027 dates, unlike London’s 2026 dates.
7

EFG London Jazz Festival

EFG London Jazz Festival
Photo: Idtenti@BlackGrape / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe big-city festival.
Latest dates: 13-22 November 2026Edition: 34thVenues: More than 60 across London

The EFG London Jazz Festival ran 13-22 November 2026 for its 34th year across more than 60 venues.

Go ifA November festival spread across a whole city
Skip ifYou want one big outdoor site
Why #7 over #8: Its 60-plus venues give more choice than Jazzaldia’s headliner-led programme.
8

Copenhagen Jazz Festival

Copenhagen Jazz Festival
Photo: René C. Nielsen from Copenhagen, Denmark / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe most shows in one city.
Latest dates: 3-12 July 2026Concerts: Around 1,100+Venues: Roughly 120Ticketed shows: From about 150 DKK

The Copenhagen Jazz Festival ran 3-12 July 2026 with around 1,100+ concerts at roughly 120 venues; ticketed shows start from about 150 DKK.

Go ifFree outdoor shows spread over a whole city
Skip ifYou want one ticketed headline stage
Why #8 over #9: Its programme is far bigger than Jazzaldia’s.
9

San Sebastián Jazzaldia

San Sebastián Jazzaldia
Photo: Urko Dorronsoro from Donostia - San Sebastian, Euskal Herria (Basque Country) / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Looketup VerdictThe Basque Country pick.
Latest dates: 22-26 July 2026Edition: 61stHeadliners: Pat Metheny and Diana Krall

San Sebastián Jazzaldia ran 22-26 July 2026 as its 61st edition, with Pat Metheny and Diana Krall as headliners.

Go ifA Basque coast festival with headline names
Skip ifYou need 2027 dates today
Why #9 over #10: Its headline names give it more star power than Saalfelden.
10

Jazzfestival Saalfelden

Jazzfestival Saalfelden
Looketup VerdictThe Alpine pick.
Latest dates: 20-23 August 2026Edition: 46thFree events: City Tracks are freely accessible

The Jazzfestival Saalfelden ran 20-23 August 2026 as its 46th edition, and its City Tracks are freely accessible.

Go ifAn Alpine-town festival with free city shows
Skip ifYou want a big-city setting

How we ranked these

We ranked festivals on travel appeal: confirmed 2027 dates first, then history and edition number, then the size of the programme. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.

Questions people ask

Which jazz festival has confirmed 2027 dates?

Montreux runs 2-17 July 2027, Gent Jazz 1-17 July 2027 and Monterey 24-26 September 2027; Jazzfest Berlin takes place 28-31 October 2027.

Is the Detroit Jazz Festival free?

Yes. The 2026 festival ran 4-7 September and was free to attend.

When is the EFG London Jazz Festival?

The 2026 festival runs 13-22 November across more than 60 venues.

How many concerts does the Copenhagen Jazz Festival have?

Around 1,100+ concerts across roughly 120 venues in ten days.

Edition number of the latest confirmed festival at a glance

EFG London Jazz Festival34 th edition
Jazzfestival Saalfelden46 th edition
Detroit Jazz Festival47 th edition
Montreux Jazz Festival61 th edition
San Sebastián Jazzaldia61 th edition
Jazzfest Berlin63 th edition
Monterey Jazz Festival70 th edition
Newport Jazz Festival72 th edition
Edition number of the latest confirmed festival, as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.

Official sites

Prices, specs and availability change; confirm on the official site before you buy.

Share this page
LinkedIn: share linkLinkedIn: share post