International Kraichgau Jazz Festival

International Kraichgau Jazz Festival — Top-Notch Jazz between Bruchsal and Bretten

What began as a small concert series by MuKs Bruchsal is now one of the most renowned jazz festivals in Baden-Württemberg: the International Kraichgau Jazz Festival. From March 20 to April 26, 2026, six high-caliber concerts will be spread across several weekends and venues in the Kraichgau. You'll experience a program structure rarely found elsewhere — international acts in decentralized, culturally and historically interesting locations between Karlsruhe and Heilbronn. The festival is small enough to be intimate, yet large enough to offer international quality.

Six Concerts, Six Acts, Four Locations

The 2026 program will be presented at four venues in the Kraichgau:

• March 20 — Bretten, Old Town Hall: "Young Generation JazzNight" featuring Clara Vetter (Piano) and the Jakob Bänsch Quartett
• March 22 — Bad Schönborn, Freie Evangelische Kirche: Gismo Graf & Cheyenne — Gypsy Jazz at its finest
• March 28 — Ubstadt, Kelterhaus: Joo Kraus with his program "No Excuse"
• April 18 — Bruchsal, MuKs Rimolini-Saal: the Swedish Tingvall Trio, internationally acclaimed
• April 24 — Menzingen, Mehrzweckhalle: Die Jazz Juniors with Peter Lehel Quartet
• April 26 — Bahnbrücken, Alte Kelter: Festival finale with the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble — 2nd Generation

This distribution across multiple locations is part of the concept — the Kraichgau is meant to be experienced as a cultural region, not just Bruchsal as the central city.

Venues with Character

The venues make the festival special. MuKs Bruchsal with its Rimolini-Saal is the festival's home — a modern concert hall with excellent acoustics. The Old Town Hall Bretten is a historic Renaissance building in the center of the Melanchthon town. The Kelterhaus Ubstadt brings jazzy sounds to a traditional wine press house. The Freie Evangelische Kirche Bad Schönborn and the Alte Kelter Bahnbrücken offer intimate, acoustically interesting spaces. You'll experience jazz in venues that usually serve other functions — that's what makes the festival unique.

Top International Acts

The Tingvall Trio (Bruchsal, April 18) is an international highlight — the Swedish-German-Cuban formation has received ECHO Jazz awards and multiple other accolades. Joo Kraus (Ubstadt, March 28) is one of Germany's most renowned trumpeters — a former member of the band Tab Two and has had a solo career as a composer and producer. Gismo Graf (Bad Schönborn, March 22) follows in the tradition of Django Reinhardt — Gypsy Jazz at the highest level. The Jazz Juniors and the United Jazz+Rock Ensemble bring the tradition of the German jazz scene to the stage.

The Kraichgau — A Hilly Landscape with Tradition

The Kraichgau is a hilly natural region located between the greater areas of Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, and Heilbronn — characterized by rolling hills, orchards, vineyards, and historic small towns. Bruchsal, with its Baroque palace, is the cultural center; Bretten, as the birthplace of Philipp Melanchthon, is an important destination for history enthusiasts; Bad Schönborn is a well-known spa town; Ubstadt-Weiher is a traditional wine-growing village. The festival leverages this diversity — the region becomes a cultural stage.