International Dixieland Festival Dresden

More than half a century of tradition

First held in 1971, the Dixieland Festival Dresden is the oldest of its kind worldwide and a firm fixture in Dresden's event calendar. Even during GDR times, it attracted bands and audiences from East and West to the Elbe, and today it is considered a musical bridge between the jazz scenes of Europe and North America.

A city in Dixieland fever

During the festival week, bands play on around 50 stages in the city center: at Neumarkt, Frauenkirche, along the Elbe at Terrassenufer, and in numerous venues, churches, and halls. The Jazz Mile strings together seven open-air stages, allowing visitors to stroll from one band to the next with free admission. Concert halls such as the Schauspielhaus or the Kulturpalast also offer special concerts requiring tickets.

Ships, Trams, and a Riverboat Shuffle

A special feature is the floating stages: bands play on the historic paddle steamers of the Saxon Steamship Company during Elbe cruises – the Riverboat Shuffle is one of the most sought-after festival experiences. The Dixietram, a specially decorated tram of the DVB, also travels through the city with a live band.

In the heart of Saxony

Dresden, the capital of the state of Saxony and a district-free city (AGS 14612), provides the ideal stage for a festival that combines tradition and internationality with its baroque backdrop. The mix of open-air atmosphere, boat trips on the Elbe, and concerts in historic halls makes the Dixieland Festival one of the city's characteristic spring events.

Friends of Jazz Tradition Association

The organizer is the Förderverein Jazztradition Dresden e.V. (Friends of Jazz Tradition Association Dresden), which organizes the annual festival week and has been preserving the heritage of traditional jazz in Dresden for decades. The association works with numerous partners in the city, from restaurateurs to the Saxon Steamship Company.