Panama Jazz Festival

Festival de Jazz de Panamá

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MusicPanama City
DatesDates TBA · Usually JanuaryCheck locally before booking
Duration12 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forLive music, late nightsDanilo Perez founded the festival to use
Language["es"]Currency: PAB
CategoryMusicFestival type
The story

Panama Jazz Festival in Panama City

The Panama Jazz Festival brings a week of concerts, workshops, and jam sessions to Panama City each January, founded in 2003 by Grammy-winning pianist Danilo Perez. Now in its third decade, it pairs free outdoor shows in Casco Viejo with ticketed performances by international and Panamanian musicians, alongside an education program run with the Berklee Global Jazz Institute for young players from across Latin America.

In September 2003, pianist Danilo Perez, who had spent two decades playing alongside Dizzy Gillespie and Wayne Shorter, brought a jazz festival to his home city with an unusual premise: that music could be a form of civic repair.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Danilo Perez founded the festival to use music as a tool for social change, and that mission still shapes the week: alongside marquee concerts, the festival runs free educational clinics that bring Panamanian students face to face with visiting jazz figures

02

The mystery stays covered

Panama's geography as the hinge between North and South America gives the lineup a distinctive blend of Afro-Caribbean, Latin, and North American jazz traditions rarely combined on one stage

03

The city starts moving

Concerts spill out of formal venues and university auditoriums into the colonial plazas of Casco Viejo, where free evening shows draw crowds who might never buy a jazz ticket otherwise, extending the festival's reach well beyond its paying audience

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival grew out of Danilo Perez's belief that jazz education and performance could serve as a tool for civic and social change in Panama

Water and renewal

Living ritual

a mission carried out through free clinics pairing student musicians directly with visiting professionals rather than treating education as separate from performance

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually January

Getting around

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

What to wear

Casual for free outdoor shows in Casco Viejo; smart-casual for ticketed evening concerts. Light, breathable fabrics for daytime heat, with a light layer for air-conditioned indoor venues.

Safety

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

Where to stay

Choose lodging by the part of Panama City 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

["es"] · PAB

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map8.99 N, 79.52 WOpen in Google Maps

Panama City, Panama, Panama

Nearest airportPTY — Tocumen
TransportPlan routes around set times, late-night exits, and crowded transport after headline acts.
Stay areaChoose lodging by the part of Panama City 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 Panama City via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Panama City, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for January.Compare faresFestival gearCasual for free outdoor shows in Casco Viejo; smart-casual for ticketed evening concerts. Light, breathable fabrics for daytime heat, with a light layer for air-conditioned indoor venues.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Panama 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 Panama Jazz Festival?

Panama Jazz Festival is listed for Past edition: 8–19 January 2025. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Panama Jazz Festival take place?

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

How long should I plan for?

12 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?

Panama City, Panama, Panama

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 URLpanamajazzfestival.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually January
Source statusOfficial source linked
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