Düsseldorf Jazz Rally is a famous annual festival in Germany, uniting jazz music artists and enjoyers. For three days in June the entire city of Düsseldorf in Germany will be transformed into a massive stage – this year, the dates fall on 2 June – 5 June, 2022.
With over 250,000 visitors coming to celebrate the music fiesta every year, Düsseldorfer Jazz Rally is one of the most prominent festivals to be found in Germany, and the finest jazz experience in Western Europe. This year, it marks its 28th edition. After two years of pandemic-related break, it is a welcome return, although shadowed by some modifications for the sake of healthcare. To follow the contemporary trends and hygiene requirements, there will be fewer concerts and venues, but more top-class artists appearing at the event for the first time.
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History of the Jazz Rally
Inspired by the similar festival in Brussels, the first Jazz Rally in Düsseldorf was held over an early summer weekend of 25-27 June, 1993. The event was so popular that it continued to take place every year on the same dates.
During the festival in 2001, some of the concerts were held outdoors; despite continuous rains, almost 280,000 visitors showed up, and open-air concerts became a tradition of the event.
In 2016, it was decided to move the festival dates to coincide with Pentecost, which is celebrated on the 50th Sunday after Easter.
Recent events have brought around changes. Usually, there was one fixed attendance fee – you paid once and had access to all concerts during the day, with the exception of the three biggest ones on Burgplatz, for which reservations were needed. However, due to healthcare concerns, from this year on, there will be no tickets for the whole event, but instead individual tickets for the concerts with guaranteed admission to the location.
Venue location
It is called a Rally, and not without a reason. For three days, the entire city of Düsseldorf transforms into a jazz stage, with venues both indoors and outdoors. There are live performances at around 30 venues in the city center and the Old Town. Most venues are located around the waterfront area near the Rhine river, which transforms into a multi-block stage with a festive atmosphere. Visitors can take a stroll around the city and listen to different bands of their liking – you can visit literally dozens of musical acts in one single day. In that respect, the relatively small area of Düsseldorf is rather a merit – everything is within walking distance, and besides, the city is proud of the event and heartily welcomes jazz fans every year. A varied array of outdoor sets is one of the Jazz Rally’s strongest attractions. The eclectic mix of locations has included not only traditional theaters, but also nearby castles, opera foyers, and an airline hangar once. Some musicians and bands play in the streets for free. Although the official start of the festival is on Friday, the first performances can be heard on Thursday evening.
