Breda Jazz Festival

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MusicBreda
DatesDates TBA · Usually MayCheck locally before booking
Duration4 daysListed event span
CrowdMediumAbout 250,000 people
Best forLive music, late nightsBreda Jazz Festival's scale is unusual for a
Language["nl"]Currency: EUR
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Breda Jazz Festival in Breda

Breda Jazz Festival is a free, four-day music festival held every Ascension weekend in late May, running since 1971. More than two dozen indoor and outdoor stages fill Breda's historic city center, from the Grote Markt to the canal-side Spanjaardsgat, drawing an estimated 250,000 visitors to what organizers describe as one of the oldest jazz festivals of its kind in Europe.

Breda's jazz festival has been running since 1971, long enough that by the time of its fortieth anniversary in 2010 the organizers marked the occasion with a dedicated commemorative book charting its history.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Breda Jazz Festival's scale is unusual for a free event: more than 26 stages, spread across indoor venues and outdoor squares including the Havermarkt, Kerkplein, Grote Markt, Veemarktstraat, and a floating pontoon stage at the historic Spanjaardsgat canal gate, let visitors sample a huge range of jazz styles and adjacent genres over a single long weekend without ever buying a ticket

02

The mystery stays covered

Founded in 1971 and marking its fortieth anniversary with a dedicated commemorative book in 2010, the festival has run for more than five decades, consistently timed to the Ascension Day public holiday weekend, giving Breda an early-summer jazz tradition that predates most comparable European city jazz festivals

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Breda Jazz Festival continues a Dutch tradition of large-scale free city-center music festivals timed to a public holiday weekend

Water and renewal

Living ritual

in this case Ascension Day

The sacred route

Living ritual

giving the event a fixed and predictable place on the late-spring calendar every year

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually May

Getting around

Use Breda transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.

What to wear

Casual, comfortable clothing for a long weekend of standing and walking between stages; a light jacket for cooler evenings in late May, since some venues are outdoors.

Safety

Keep phone power, water, and a clear meeting point sorted before the main crowd arrives.

Where to stay

Stay near workable transport in Breda, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

Tickets/cost

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

Language/currency

["nl"] · EUR

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map51.59 N, 4.77 EOpen in Google Maps

Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands

Nearest airportEIN — Eindhoven
TransportUse Breda transport around the venue or route first; event-day controls can change normal timing.
Stay areaStay near workable transport in Breda, especially if the event runs late or streets close.

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 Breda via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Breda, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for May.Compare faresFestival gearCasual, comfortable clothing for a long weekend of standing and walking between stages; a light jacket for cooler evenings in late May, since some venues are outdoors.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Netherlands and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Breda Jazz Festival?

Breda Jazz Festival is listed for Past edition: 14–17 May 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Breda Jazz Festival take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

4 days 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?

Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands

How big is it?

Medium: 250000

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 URLbredajazzfestival.nl
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually May
Source statusOfficial source linked
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