Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige
European contemporary jazz across the cities, alpine pastures, and peaks of South Tyrol
About Südtirol Jazzfestival
A jazz festival spread across South Tyrol
The Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige is the premier event dedicated to contemporary jazz in Trentino-South Tyrol and one of the most recognized in Europe. Established in 1983, the festival is based in the Municipality of Bolzano/Bozen, the capital of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, but radiates throughout the entire region: over the course of ten days, more than fifty concerts bring cities, valleys, castles, and mountain peaks to life, turning the territory itself into the festival's stage.
A laboratory for the music of today
The festival acts as a true laboratory for contemporary music, with unpredictability as its guiding thread. The program weaves together avant-garde jazz, collective improvisation, experimental club culture, and performances immersed in nature. Alongside big names from the international scene, the festival features young European talents and South Tyrolean musicians, fostering a continuous dialogue between tradition and sonic research.
Unconventional venues
The festival's hallmark is its choice of unusual venues. Concerts move away from traditional halls to reach surprising locations all over South Tyrol:
- abandoned mines and high-altitude mining tunnels;
- alpine huts, flower-filled meadows, and clearings reachable via guided hikes (the famous Jazz & Hike);
- castles, historical forts, distilleries, and ancient inns;
- alpine lakes, forests, and mountain pastures;
- urban and industrial spaces in Bolzano, Merano, Bressanone, and other locations.
Bolzano, the heart of the festival
Bolzano remains the nerve center of the event, with the inauguration at the NOI Techpark and evening and late-night concerts animating the squares, parks, and venues of the capital. From here, the festival branches out into the rest of the province, offering the public an experience that combines musical listening, the discovery of the alpine landscape, and an understanding of South Tyrol's bilingual identity.
An international summer highlight
Every summer, the Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige attracts enthusiasts from all over Italy and abroad, confirming its status as a reference point in the European jazz scene and one of the most distinctive cultural offerings of the South Tyrolean summer.
Südtirol Jazzfestival — edition 2026
2026 Edition — the 44th
The 44th edition of the Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige was held from June 26th to July 5th, 2026, with over fifty concerts distributed throughout South Tyrol. The inauguration, on June 26th in Bolzano, featured the Gard Nilssen Supersonic Orchestra at the NOI Techpark.
The program, with unpredictability as its guiding thread, wove together contemporary jazz, collective improvisation, and experimental club culture. Artists on the bill included Team Hegdal, the Håvard Wiik Trio, Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra, Anaïs Drago, Kit Downes, and Elektro Guzzi, alongside special formats such as Sonic Reactions, the Late Night series, and the Kabarila Jazz Ritual.
2026 Venues
New Bolzano venues included the AHOI Mini Golf and Piazza Alcide Berloffa, alongside the Free University of Bolzano; in Bressanone, Haus Guggenberg. Numerous concerts reached forests, pastures, and remote alpine locations, from the Merano racecourse to the mining tunnels of Predoi, confirming the festival's itinerant nature.
Programme Südtirol Jazzfestival 2026
- June 26th — Opening concert with the Gard Nilssen Supersonic Orchestra, NOI Techpark, Bolzano
- Håvard Wiik Trio, Team Hegdal, Goran Kajfeš Subtropic Arkestra, Anaïs Drago, Kit Downes, Elektro Guzzi
- Late Night series with electronic and hybrid forms
- Kabarila Jazz Ritual (4th edition)
- Jazz & Hike musical excursions to alpine huts, forests, and ancient mining villages
- Concerts in new venues: AHOI Mini Golf, Piazza Alcide Berloffa, and the Free University in Bolzano, Haus Guggenberg in Bressanone
Highlights Südtirol Jazzfestival 2026
- Over 50 concerts in ten days
- Opening with the Gard Nilssen Supersonic Orchestra
- Unconventional venues throughout South Tyrol
- Jazz & Hike musical excursions in the mountains
Prices Südtirol Jazzfestival 2026
Practical information — Südtirol Jazzfestival
How to get there
Bolzano is accessible by train along the Brenner line (Bolzano/Bozen stop) and by car via the A22 Brenner motorway. Concerts take place in numerous locations across South Tyrol: it is recommended to check the official website for the exact location of each event.
Tickets
Some concerts are free, while others require a ticket (roughly between 5 and 15 euros); musical hikes and special events may require reservations. The program and tickets are available at suedtiroljazzfestival.com.
Tips
For high-altitude concerts and Jazz & Hike events, appropriate mountain clothing and footwear are recommended. In summer, accommodation in Bolzano and its surroundings is in high demand: it is best to book your stay in advance.
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Where does it take place — Südtirol Jazzfestival
Sedi diffuse in tutto l'Alto Adige