Every Ascension Day weekend, jazz fills the streets of Breda. The Breda Jazz Festival is the oldest and largest four-day jazz festival in Europe, started in 1971 with more than 200 concerts across the historic city centre. Around 250,000 visitors each year.
Mostly free — most outdoor concerts are freely accessible. Some indoor performances require tickets (€20–€22.50).
How it started
The festival started in 1971, inspired by the jazz traditions of New Orleans. The historic Breda city centre, with the Grote Kerk and Harbour, provides the perfect backdrop.
What you’ll find
More than 200 concerts
Twenty stages across the city — from swinging and loud on the Grote Markt to intimate and acoustic in a church or courtyard garden.
Breda Jazz Award
Each year the Breda Jazz Award goes to a musician making an exceptional contribution to jazz. In 2025, it went to drummer Chris Strik.
Practical info
- Date 2026: 14–17 May (Ascension Day weekend)
- Entry: mostly free; paid indoor shows via bredajazzfestival.nl
- Location: historic Breda city centre — Breda Centraal station is walkable
- Programme: bredajazzfestival.nl