Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival

View on map
MusicKorce
DatesDates TBA · Usually SeptemberCheck locally before booking
DurationAutumnEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsFew jazz festivals anywhere are built around
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: ALL
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival in Korce

A Tirana and Korça jazz and blues festival honouring Gjon Mili, the Korça-born Life magazine photographer who pioneered stroboscopic photography and directed the 1944 jazz film Jammin' the Blues, founded through a 2019 Ministry of Culture project. Spanning both Mili's birthplace and the capital, it gives Albanian audiences a distinctive lens on their own diaspora's global cultural influence.

Gjon Mili Jazz and Blues Festival honours a genuinely remarkable figure in the history of American photography who happened to be born in Korça: Gjon Mili, who left Albania for the United States in 1923 and went on to become one of Life magazine's most celebrated photographers, capturing artists including Pablo Picasso and pioneering the use of stroboscopic light to freeze motion in ways no photographer had achieved before, working directly with MIT engineer Harold Eugene Edgerton to develop the technique.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Few jazz festivals anywhere are built around honouring a photographer rather than a musician, and Gjon Mili's genuinely remarkable story, an Albanian emigrant who became one of America's most technically innovative Life magazine photographers and directed a landmark jazz film, gives this festival a uniquely specific cultural bridge between Albania and American jazz history

02

The mystery stays covered

That combination of technical photographic innovation and genuine jazz documentation makes Mili's story, and the festival built around it, a genuinely distinctive addition to Albania's growing international music festival calendar

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Founded through the 'Dream of Gjon Mili' project in 2019 with Ministry of Culture support

Water and renewal

Living ritual

the festival has maintained its dual-city format spanning Tirana and Korça across at least five documented editions since

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually September

Getting around

Plan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.

What to wear

Smart-casual attire suits an evening jazz and blues concert setting across either city's venues.

Safety

At Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival, agree on a meeting point and plan food, water and the return route before crowds thicken.

Where to stay

Choose lodging by the part of Korce you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Tickets/cost

Ticketing varies by venue and stage. Confirm official passes before booking travel.

Language/currency

ALL

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map40.62 N, 20.78 EOpen in Google Maps

Korce, Korce, Albania

Nearest airportOHD — Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle
TransportPlan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.
Stay areaChoose lodging by the part of Korce you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Korce via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Korce, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for September.Compare faresFestival gearSmart-casual attire suits an evening jazz and blues concert setting across either city's venues.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Albania and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival?

Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival is listed for September · Autumn. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Gjon Mili Jazz & Blues Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Korce, Albania. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Autumn is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Korce, Korce, Albania

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLakt.gov.al
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually September
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Rock in Rio

4–13 September 2026

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo pending

Montreal International Jazz Festival

Past edition: 25 June–4 July 2026

Montreal, Canada
Photo pending

Tomorrowland Brasil

Past edition: 10–12 October 2025

Itu, Brazil
Photo pending

Glastonbury Festival

23–27 June 2027

Pilton, United Kingdom

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →