Istanbul Jazz Festival: dates, venues and tickets

Updated on October 4, 2026

The Istanbul Jazz Festival (İstanbul Caz Festivali), held every summer by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), brings together jazz, soul, funk, world music and contemporary music in halls and open-air venues across the city. The 33rd edition ran from 30 June to mid-July 2026, with nearly 30 concerts at more than ten venues; it welcomed Robert Plant, Marcus Miller, Thee Sacred Souls, Arooj Aftab, Joe Lovano and Veronica Swift, alongside Turkish artists. The dates and programme for 2027 have not been announced yet: the festival generally follows the same calendar, between late June and mid-July.

Highlights

The Cemil Topuzlu open-air theatre, in Harbiye

The big open-air theatre in the Harbiye district, surrounded by trees, is the festival's most emblematic venue and hosts the biggest concerts. On summer evenings the atmosphere there is relaxed, in the open air.

Concerts in smaller venues

Alongside the big nights, the festival programmes concerts in more intimate settings, such as Salon İKSV, the Esma Sultan Mansion, the garden of the Consulate General of Italy or the garden of the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus. These evenings are calmer and you sit closer to the musicians.

The Atatürk Cultural Centre (AKM)

The centre's theatre hall, on Taksim Square, also serves as a stage for some concerts.

Free concerts

According to the press, the festival often adds a few free concerts in neighbourhoods of the city; check the official programme to find them.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Tickets are sold on the online ticket office passo.com.tr; for the 2026 edition, general sales opened on 6 March 2026, with priority sales for holders of the İKSV Tulip Card (Lale Kart) and a limited number of student tickets at 50 TL. The most anticipated concerts sell out quickly: buy as soon as sales open. Always check venue, date and time on the festival's official site before heading out, as the programme changes every year. For what to do afterwards, see our guide to Istanbul nightlife and our festival calendar.

How to get there

Cemil Topuzlu Theatre: Harbiye, Şişli, between Taksim and Şişli, reachable on foot from Osmanbey or Taksim metro stations. Other venues vary by concert: check the official programme.