Enjoy Jazz — International Festival for Jazz and More
Six weeks of jazz, improvised music, and boundary-pushing sounds in Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Ludwigshafen
About Enjoy Jazz
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Enjoy Jazz — The Festival Architecture
Founded in 1999, Enjoy Jazz has since established itself as one of Germany's most important jazz festivals. The festival is unusually conceived: six weeks duration, three cities (Mannheim, Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen), around 30 venues, approximately 70 concerts. The subtitle 'and More' hints at the aesthetic programme — moving beyond strictly traditional jazz teachings, the programme opens up to improvised music, experimental electronics, world music, avant-pop, and crossover projects. The artistic director is Rainer Kern (founder); the programming is internationally regarded as one of the most exciting among Central European jazz festivals.
Three Cities — One Metropolitan Region
Concerts take place in Mannheim (Capitol, Alte Feuerwache, BASF-Feierabendhaus in Ludwigshafen — crossing administrative borders; Mannheimer Reithalle; Klapsmühl', Karl-Friedrich-Schimper-Gymnasium, and many more), Heidelberg (Karlstorbahnhof, Marstall, Stadthalle, Halle 02), and Ludwigshafen (BASF-Feierabendhaus, Pfalzbau). This geographical diversity is a conscious part of the festival's concept — jazz is spread across the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, making it accessible to diverse audiences.
Programming — Jazz as an Open Field
Enjoy Jazz does not shy away from shifting its focus: classic jazz greats perform alongside electronic-experimental acts. Past programmes have featured Bobby McFerrin, Esperanza Spalding, Bill Frisell, Marius Neset, Vijay Iyer, Avishai Cohen, Snarky Puppy, GoGo Penguin, Mary Halvorson, Tigran Hamasyan — complemented by experimental and improvised music from Scandinavia, Poland, Lebanon, and Israel. The 2026 programme will be released gradually in the summer; festival passes are available for pre-order.
Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region — Mannheim as a Cultural Hub
Mannheim (an independent city in the state of Baden-Württemberg, district code 08222) is Baden-Württemberg's second-largest city after Stuttgart. As home to the Popakademie Baden-Württemberg, the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst (University of Music and Performing Arts), and holding the status of a UNESCO City of Music, Mannheim is one of Germany's most vibrant music cities. Heidelberg complements the festival geography with its university, Karlstorbahnhof, and Stadthalle, while Ludwigshafen offers the BASF-Feierabendhaus, an industrially and culturally significant venue.
Enjoy Jazz — edition 2026
Enjoy Jazz 2026 — The 28th Edition
From October 2nd to November 7th, 2026, Enjoy Jazz will spread its programme over six weeks and around 30 venues in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Since its founding in 1999, the festival has become one of Central Europe's most important jazz platforms, bringing international jazz stars alongside experimental acts and improvising musicians to the three festival cities.
The complete programme is traditionally released in stages in late summer. The providers and venues in 2026 will largely be the same as in previous years — from Alte Feuerwache Mannheim and Halle 02 Heidelberg to BASF-Feierabendhaus Ludwigshafen.
Programme Enjoy Jazz 2026
Enjoy Jazz 2026 — Festival Structure
- Six Festival Weeks from Friday, October 2nd, to Saturday, November 7th, 2026
- Three Cities: Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Ludwigshafen — connected by the public transport network of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region
- Around 30 Venues, including:
- Mannheim: Alte Feuerwache, Capitol, Reithalle, Klapsmühl', Karl-Friedrich-Schimper-Gymnasium
- Heidelberg: Karlstorbahnhof, Marstall, Stadthalle, Halle 02
- Ludwigshafen: BASF-Feierabendhaus, Pfalzbau
- Approx. 70 Concerts spread throughout the festival duration
- Programme Focuses: contemporary jazz, improvised music, crossover, experimental electronics, international avant-garde
- Festival Passes for multiple concerts (pre-sale ongoing)
The complete concert list will be published gradually from summer 2026 onwards at enjoyjazz.de.
Highlights Enjoy Jazz 2026
- 28th edition of one of Germany's most important jazz festivals
- Six weeks of festival, three cities, ~30 venues
- International jazz stars and experimental avant-garde alternating
- Venues ranging from classical concert halls to industrial or petrol station stages
- Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region as the festival stage — Mannheim, Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen
- Festival passes available — flexible choice from approx. 70 concerts
Prices Enjoy Jazz 2026
Single tickets range from approx. €20 to €90 depending on the concert. Festival passes for multiple concerts are available — offering better value. Members of 'Friends of Enjoy Jazz' receive advance booking rights and discounts. Tickets via enjoyjazz.de.
Practical information — Enjoy Jazz
Getting There and Travelling Between Cities
Train: Mannheim Hauptbahnhof, Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof, and Ludwigshafen Hauptbahnhof are ICE stations. Within the region, S-Bahn RheinNeckar connects Mannheim and Heidelberg every 10 minutes, with a journey time of 12 minutes.
Airport: Frankfurt (FRA) — 50 minutes by S-Bahn to Mannheim. Stuttgart Airport (STR) — 75 minutes by train.
Venues: Accessible via the festival app; good connections via VRN tickets (Rhein-Neckar Transport Association) and public transport in the three cities.
Tickets and Festival Passes
Single tickets range from approx. €20 to €90 depending on the concert (headliner events). Festival passes for multiple concerts are available. Advance booking via enjoyjazz.de.
Organiser
Enjoy Jazz GmbH (based in Heidelberg). Phone +49 6221 6470420, [email protected].
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Enjoy Jazz
Mannheim, Heidelberg und Ludwigshafen — diverse Spielstätten
diverse Spielstätten, 68159 Mannheim