DixieCity Gerolstein – Jazz Festival

ℹ As of August 10, 2026: No edition of the DixieCity Festival is scheduled for this year. The last documented edition ran from August 16 to 18, 2024. The official event calendar for the city of Gerolstein shows no festival dates for August 2026, and the domains dixiecity.de and dixiecity-online.de are no longer registered. This page remains as an archive of the festival.

A Festival for Traditional Jazz in the Vulkaneifel

The DixieCity Gerolstein Jazz Festival was a key gathering point for traditional jazz in the region between the Eifel, the Moselle, and the Ardennes. The Brunnenplatz in the center of Gerolstein served as an open-air stage where national and international bands performed the sounds of the early jazz era.

Around 20 hours of jazz over three days

The program featured approximately 20 hours of live music over three days. Stylistically, the festival focused on:

• Oldtime Jazz – the roots of jazz from the early New Orleans era, featuring classics from the 1910s and 1920s.
• New Orleans Jazz – the characteristic style featuring trumpet, clarinet, trombone, and rhythm section.
• Dixieland – the adaptation of the New Orleans style with its own unique flair.
• Traditional Swing – early swing classics that evolved directly from Dixieland.

The 2024 Edition

The edition from August 16 to 18, 2024, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Gerolstein Slaughterhouse Jazzband. The festivities kicked off on Friday at 5:00 PM with an after-work party on the Brunnenplatz, followed by the Steven Ouma Band at 8:00 PM. Saturday featured performances by Jazzlight and the Blue Swinging Dixies, among others, while Sunday showcased the MSF Bigband, the Eddie Kold Band, and SunLaneLTD. The Little Big Swing Band (Saturday) and Jazzpresso (Sunday) performed on the Rondellvorplatz. Admission was free on all three days.

Brunnenplatz as the central stage

The Brunnenplatz is located in the heart of Gerolstein, within walking distance of the train station on the Eifel line (Cologne – Trier). Cafés, restaurants, and shops surrounding the square were part of the festival atmosphere, complemented by street food stalls on the grounds.