fill in Jazz Festival am Bostalsee

Premiere on the Bostalsee

The fill in — International Jazz Festival Saar is expanding its reach in 2026: for the first time, the festival will also take place at the Bostalsee, the largest reservoir in Southwest Germany in the St. Wendel region. Two summer evenings on an open-air stage directly at the Gonnesweiler lido will mark the start of a new festival tradition in Saarland's Hochwald region.

Four Top Ensembles, Two Evenings

On Friday, July 31, 2026, Franz Becker & Friends will first perform their handmade mix of lounge, smooth jazz, blues, and their own songs. Following them, the Jörg Seidel Trio feat. Sabine Kühlich will present a Swinging Tribute to Caterina Valente — an elegant homage to the German-Italian jazz legend.

On Saturday, August 1, 2026, the Valeria Maurer Quartett will open with jazz between lyricism and soul, followed by the Torino Reinhardt Ensemble feat. Marcel Loeffler, which cultivates the tradition of Gypsy jazz in the spirit of Django Reinhardt — from Jazz Manouche and Swing to Bossa Nova.

The Bostalsee as a Stage

The Bostalsee is one of the most beautiful bodies of water in Saarland: created in 1979, covering 120 hectares, located on the edge of the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park, with sandy beaches, a 7-kilometer circular path, and the Center Parcs Park Bostalsee. The Gonnesweiler lido on the north side is the lake's family and event hub. A jazz open-air stage right on the water, with the Hochwald as a backdrop and the interplay of sunset and starry sky — that is the idea behind the new festival.

In the Sankt Wendel Region

The Bostalsee is located in the district of St. Wendel, in the north of Saarland, on the border with Rhineland-Palatinate. The region is one of the greenest and most rural in the state — Hochwald, scattered orchards, castles, small villages. With the festival, a summer highlight is being created here, connecting the traditional tourism region with international jazz.

Cooperation with Touristik & Freizeit Sankt Wendeler Land

The festival at Bostalsee is being created in cooperation with the local tourism company. This way, the event benefits from local tourism expertise, and the festival benefits from the Bostalsee's location concept.