Established in the late 1970’s, the Copenhagen Jazz Festival spreads across the city every summer. Offering visitors the possibility to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere, it has 1000 events taking place in parks, cafes and other venues.
In fact, you can catch a show during the festival in over 100 different locations! Let’s learn more about it right here.
Contents
- 1 Copenhagen Jazz Festival Venues
- 2 Buy Tickets Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- 3 Copenhagen Jazz Festival Lineup
- 4 Copenhagen Jazz Festival Program Arrangements
- 5 Interesting Facts About Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- 6 Winter Jazz Festival Copenhagen
- 7 Where to Watch Jazz During the Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- 8 Should You Visit Roskilde Jazz Days 2024?
- 9 What Else Can You Visit in Roskilde During the Jazz Day 2024?
- 10 Jazz for Kids Copenhagen
- 11 Copenhagen Jazz Festival Location & How to Get There
- 12 Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2022 & 2023 Highlights
- 13 Things to Visit Nearby
- 14 The Short History Of Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- 15 3 Nice Places to Stay Near the Copenhagen Jazz Festival
- 16 Frequently Asked Questions
- 17 Conclusion
Copenhagen Jazz Festival Venues
Summer in Denmark usually means a lot of jazz music in the air – and 2024 will be no exception!
🎷 Since the Copenhagen Jazz festival was founded in 1979, it has become the biggest music event in the Danish capital. Concerts big and small take place in various parts of the city across both indoor and outdoor locations.
You can expect the summer 2024 lineup to include small cafes, clubs, and concert halls.
While outdoor venues will include some of the old favorites such as the old Helgoland bathing pier, the Frederiksberg Garden, the Konsistorie Garden courtyard and even Christiana.
Buy Tickets Copenhagen Jazz Festival
The festival contains a mix of free and paid for concerts.
🎫 The best way to check if the concert is free or requires tickets is to visit the programming section of the website.
Here, you can already see the Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2024 lineup, purchase tickets directly, and plan in advance.
Tickets are also sold at the doors of the paid for concerts, but they do sell out fast so it is recommended to book well in advance.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival Lineup
Summer 2024 is sure to have a fun filled and star studded line up as usual! We have seen a wide range of artists over the years.
A wide range of American artists usually attend, such as
- Herbie Hancock
- Kenny Baron
- Joshua Redman Double Trio
- M. Miller
- E. Spalding from the U.S.
- Diana Krall from Canada
- Martha Wainwright
- Joe Lovano & Dr Big Band
- Caetano Veloso
Copenhagen Jazz Festival Program Arrangements
If you are planning to attend the Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2024 from abroad, you will be pleased to know that making plans is really easy.
📲 Tech-savvy jazz lovers can avail of the official free guide to the Copenhagen Denmark Jazz Festival by downloading the app to their smart phones.
The guide provides information on the artists’ profiles and concerts, venue, and maps as well as other activities during the festival.
Interesting Facts About Copenhagen Jazz Festival
This major Copenhagen event gets rave reviews from music critics and websites worldwide. Many have praised this festival as the world’s most ambitious jazz event, one that demonstrates diversity and a model of excellence for international jazz events.
Here are some interesting facts to know before you go!
- The first Copenhagen Jazz Festival was held in Copenhagen in 1979.
- The Copenhagen Jazz Festival always starts the first Friday in July and lasts for 10 days. In 2024, the first Friday of July actually starts on Friday 30th June….
- The Copenhagen Jazz Festival attracts over 240,000 guests, over 40% of them from outside of Denmark.
- The average tourist to the Copenhagen Jazz Festival spends $180 per day.
- You can prepare in depth online beforehand by visiting the Copenhagen Jazz Festival official website here.
Winter Jazz Festival Copenhagen
The summer months are perfect for jazz in a park or cafe, but what about the colder months? Well, there is also a Winter Jazz festival in Copenhagen, popularly known as Vinterjazz. Lasting 10 days, it gives locals and visitors alike a little perk up in the cold and dark winter months of northern Europe.
It is one of Europe’s most important international music events. The Vinterjazz prides itself on eminent artistic quality, with a big focus on new acts in both Danish and international jazz.
In the past, a wide range of artists have also supported Winter Jazz with the same excitement as the summer lineup, including
- Dexter Gordon
- Stan Getz
- Ben Webster
- Stuff Smith
- Ed Thigpen
- Thad Jones
- Kenny Drew
Where to Watch Jazz During the Copenhagen Jazz Festival
There are many free open-air stages strategically located throughout the historical city center. It is a great time to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. This event is perfect for those who are into jazz music. They can have a great time with their friends and family.
Visitors can look forward to wandering around the friendly and creative city accompanied by jazz music day and night. That makes this festival one of the best public festivals in Copenhagen.
Should You Visit Roskilde Jazz Days 2024?
If jazz is your kind of music, then visiting Roskilde is a must! Concerts in this cathedral town near the capital of Copenhagen are held in many venues.
With a beautiful ambiance at the local harbor and around the fjord, you are in for a real treat. Dozens of concerts take place featuring different styles of jazz music ranging from the traditional to the contemporary and from blues to swing type.
🎷 The Roskilde Jazz Festival takes place every third weekend of June and in 2024 it will be held at the same time. Music lovers can relax while enjoying live jazz tunes being performed at various places such as restaurants and downtown cafes. The good news is that most of the concerts around town are free!
What Else Can You Visit in Roskilde During the Jazz Day 2024?
For those new to Roskilde, there are other fun and enriching things to experience while in town. After attending some of your preferred concerts, you can always take a tour of the place. You can explore the town on your own or join guided tours of Roskilde’s popular tourist attractions.
There are religious structures worth visiting such as churches, cathedrals, and monasteries as well as museums. Roskilde is situated on the island of Zealand. This is an ancient city that dates back to the Viking Age.
Jazz for Kids Copenhagen
Bringing little ones to Copenhagen during jazz times? Well, jazz is not just for grown ups! Not only do little kids love to dance, but the line up often includes events specifically tailored to children.
This can include, but is not limited to, lessons, kid friendly tunes and even little childrens bands. Check out the Jazz Festival Copenhagen website for the Copenhagen Jazz Festival for Kids lineup!
Copenhagen Jazz Festival Location & How to Get There
The Copenhagen Jazz Festival is actually not held at any one location. And since Copenhagen center is a really easily walkable city, you will surely bump into something happening around practically every corner!
The great thing about Copenhagen is the fact that you can cross the city center between main sights in as little as 20 minutes.
🎺 Check out the Copenhagen Jazz Festival website and plan your route in advance for the 2024 Jazz Season.
And if you want, you should look into the Copenhagen Card (see price here). It includes travel on the transport network but also reduced and free access to the city's main attractions.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2022 & 2023 Highlights
Looking for a taste of what to expect during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2024? Then catch up on some of the highlights from 2022 and 2023.
Check out this beautiful performance held outside in the city center during the event. And here is Niels Joergen performing TAKE THE A TRAIN at Kongens Have. Also, enjoy this performance from BOGALUSA STRUT (Sam Morgan).
Want more? Check out this relaxing performance – THREE ORGANS AND TIVOLI BIG BAND.
And don’t forget, the festival also shows a wide range of performances. Here is a cool improvisation performed by three performers meeting for the first time.
Things to Visit Nearby
Use your visit to the Copenhagen Jazz Festival to make the most of the wonderful sights of Copenhagen.
Our favorites include Rosenborg Castle, visiting Tivoli Gardens, shopping on Stroget and getting some eclectic vibes in Christiana.
👉 Check out the rest of our resources on this website for the wide range of great attractions available in Copenhagen.
The Short History Of Copenhagen Jazz Festival
As early as the 1960s, Copenhagen was already known for its jazz scene, so it is no surprise that this Copenhagen music festival was eventually made into something more formal.
It started off in 1979 at just 14 venues in the city, and by 1988 50 hot spots had been added to the list. By then, famous artists such as Airto Moreira and groups like Irakere had already performed.
And by the 2000s, the lineup had included big stars such as Burt Bacharach and had over 1400 concerts, making it one of the best Copenhagen festivals to visit.
3 Nice Places to Stay Near the Copenhagen Jazz Festival
During the summer months and around the Jazz Festival the rooms book up quickly. Make sure you reserve a room as soon as you know you will be visiting.
citizenM Copenhagen Rådhuspladsen
Just 600m from Tivoli Gardens this modern hotel features works by local artists and a fun vibe. A buffet breakfast and modern technology in each bedroom will round off your stay. Act quick though, rooms go for around 300 euros during peak festivals in Copenhagen.
Hotel Skt Petri
Stunning decor and designer rooms in the heart of the original Latin Quarter, this hotel is a real treat. On top of that, you will be just a 5 minute stroll from the Stroget shopping area. Expect to pay around 400 euros during the summer season for a double room with a traditional Danish breakfast.
Hotel Alexandra
Budget friendly option located near the Town Hall Square. Suites start from 200 euros but you need to book fast. During festivals and peak periods, this environmentally friendly hotel can spike to nearly 3 times that per room!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jazz the only music featured at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival?
The vast majority of the music is heavily jazz centric. You will find some complementary sounds too in some venues, and don’t forget that as a big city, Copenhagen will still have its other musical and cultural delights on offer at the same time.
When do Copenhagen Jazz Festival tickets go on sale?
Tickets for each show are released on the website at least 2 months before the event. Keep checking from January onwards to get the first dibbs.
Is the Copenhagen Jazz Festival accessible to people with disabilities?
Yes – the vast majority of the venues are in access free areas, although note that some older cafes or alternative venues may be a bit tricky.
Conclusion
We love jazz. But most importantly, we LOVE the buzz in Copenhagen during its annual jazz festivals. We would be delighted to learn how you got on.
In order to best plan your trip, we recommend checking out some of the other things to do in Copenhagen and book a few trips and tours by looking at the other resources available on this website. Enjoy!
Be the first to comment