MaiJazz Stavanger

MaiJazz

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MusicStavanger
DatesDates TBA · Usually MayCheck locally before booking
DurationSpringEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsMaiJazz's standing as the region's oldest
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: NOK
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

MaiJazz Stavanger in Stavanger

MaiJazz is Stavanger's oldest festival, an international jazz event founded in 1989 that runs annually in early May. It began with just four concerts and around four hundred visitors, and by its twenty-fifth anniversary had grown to more than fifty concerts and roughly fourteen thousand attendees. Run as a non-profit tied to Stavanger Jazzforum, the festival is built around carefully chosen venues rather than a single large stage.

MaiJazz started small in 1989, when Stavanger, a city on Norway's southwest coast better known at the time for its oil industry than its cultural calendar, hosted just four jazz concerts drawing around four hundred people.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

MaiJazz's standing as the region's oldest festival gives it a role beyond programming: it helped build Stavanger's identity as a culture city well before the city's 2008 turn as European Capital of Culture

02

The mystery stays covered

Rather than one big outdoor stage, the festival treats venue selection as central, spreading concerts across Stavanger's smaller halls, clubs and rooms suited to close, attentive jazz listening, a philosophy organizers call a MaiJazz trademark

03

The city starts moving

Growth has been steady rather than explosive: from four concerts and about four hundred visitors at the 1989 debut to more than fifty concerts and around fourteen thousand attendees by its twenty-fifth edition in 2013

04

The water draws everyone in

From 2013 to 2018, the festival also hosted the Molsterprisen, a jazz prize awarded as part of the program

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

MaiJazz has kept a consistent identity since 1989 as a festival defined by venue and setting rather than scale

Water and renewal

Living ritual

a philosophy organizers still describe as choosing the right stage for the right performance

The sacred route

Living ritual

Its six-year run hosting the Molsterprisen

The local code

Living ritual

a jazz prize folded into the festival program between 2013 and 2018

Tradition 5

Living ritual

tied MaiJazz into the wider recognition structures of the Norwegian jazz scene

Tradition 6

Living ritual

while its status as Stavanger region's oldest surviving festival has made it a fixture referenced whenever the city's cultural credentials

Tradition 7

Living ritual

including its 2008 European Capital of Culture year

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually May

Getting around

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

What to wear

Dress for indoor jazz club and concert-hall settings with an early-May Stavanger evening outside them: a warm layer under a light coat handles both the cool spring air and often un-heated...

Safety

At MaiJazz Stavanger, 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 Stavanger 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

NOK

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map58.97 N, 5.73 EOpen in Google Maps

Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway

Nearest airportSVG — Stavanger Airport, Sola
TransportPlan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.
Stay areaChoose lodging by the part of Stavanger 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 Stavanger via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Stavanger, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for May.Compare faresFestival gearDress for indoor jazz club and concert-hall settings with an early-May Stavanger evening outside them: a warm layer under a light coat handles both the cool spring air and often un-heated waiting lines outside venues. Smart-casual suits most MaiJazz shows, since venues range from formal concert halls to more relaxed club rooms, and comfortable shoes matter for moving between venues scattered across the city center over an evening or several days.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Norway 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 MaiJazz Stavanger?

MaiJazz Stavanger is listed for May · Spring. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does MaiJazz Stavanger take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

Spring 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?

Stavanger, Rogaland, Norway

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 URLmaijazz.no
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually May
Source statusOfficial source linked
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