Event Details
Welcome to the Saalfelden Jazz Festival 2026
From 20 to 23 August 2026, the small town of Saalfelden in Austria's Salzburg region turns into one of Central Europe's leading meeting points for contemporary jazz. The 46th edition of the Saalfelden Jazz Festival brings around 60 concerts across 13 stages, set against the dramatic mountain backdrop of the Steinernes Meer. Just over an hour from Salzburg, the festival offers a rare combination of world class jazz and alpine scenery.
Highlights
- Around 60 concerts on 13 stages throughout the town and mountains
- Mainstage at Congress Saalfelden and the Otto Gruber Hall
- Free City Tracks in the city park, at Nexus+ and Museum Schloss Ritzen
- Free Mountain Tracks at Ritzensee, in the Kollingwald forest and on the alpine pastures
- "We Hike Jazz": guided hikes combined with mountain concerts
- Mainstage opening by saxophonist Yvonne Moriel with a newly commissioned work
- Anniversary project "The Big Shake: A Saalfelden Homecoming" with Shake Stew
- International acts including the Chicago Underground Duo and Yeah NO
Program
The festival opens with a newly commissioned work by Austrian saxophonist Yvonne Moriel on the Mainstage. Further highlights include the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor, and the New York based quartet Yeah NO. On Saturday from 2:00 PM, the roughly seventy strong musical parade "The Big Shake: A Saalfelden Homecoming" moves from Rathausplatz through the town to the Congress building, ending with a finale on the park stage. Alongside the ticketed concerts on the Mainstage, in the Otto Gruber Hall and at the Short Cuts in Kunsthaus Nexus, the free City Tracks and Mountain Tracks form a core part of the program, taking place in the city park, at Ritzensee, in the Kollingwald forest and on nearby alpine pastures. Visitors who want to combine music with nature can join the popular "We Hike Jazz" hikes, where concerts happen right in the mountain landscape.
Tickets
Tickets for the Mainstage, the Otto Gruber Hall, the Short Cuts and the hiking concerts are available online through the festival's official ticket platform. The free City and Mountain Tracks require no ticket. For an upgraded experience, a VIP option at Congress Saalfelden includes drinks and a buffet; VIP tickets start at 168 euros for one day and 449 euros for three days in presale. Holders of the ÖBB Vorteilscard receive a 15 percent discount on regular tickets. Popular program items such as the hikes tend to sell out weeks in advance, so early booking is recommended.
Visitor Tips
- Book tickets early, as hiking concerts and Short Cuts passes often sell out weeks ahead.
- Travel by train; Saalfelden is just over an hour from Salzburg and ÖBB Vorteilscard holders get a discount.
- Pack sturdy shoes and weatherproof clothing for the concerts in the mountains.
- Allow time between concerts for a walk at Ritzensee or a trip to nearby Leogang.
- The free programming in the city park and at Nexus makes for a relaxed start to a festival day.
