30 years of Jazz Open Hamburg: A festival that connects and inspires!

30 years of Jazz Open Hamburg: A festival that connects and inspires!

The 30th anniversary of the Jazz Open Hamburg was celebrated in style on August 30th and 31st, 2025. In bright sunshine, the concert shell in Planten un Blomen Park was transformed into a mecca for jazz lovers. With free entry and a relaxed open-air atmosphere thanks to over 10,000 expected visitors, the festival became an absolute highlight in the northern German cultural calendar. How NDR reports, it is the longest-running jazz festival in Hamburg, which has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape since its founding in 1996.

From the first appearance of Lucas Lindholm feat. Dick Griffin and other greats such as Howard Johnson and Gunter Hampel to legendary moments such as the improvised duet between Ernst-Ludwig Petrovsky and a singing blackbird in 2012 - the Jazz Open have always provided surprises and emotional highlights. Originally founded by a group of passionate jazz musicians, the festival was intended to create a platform for local Hamburg bands. A goal that has been pursued continuously over the decades.

Artistic diversity and program highlights

This year a total of ten bands presented themselves, including large formations such as the NDR Bigband and the Birdland Bigband as well as smaller, up-and-coming acts such as the Marta Winnitzki Trio and the band HWKR with bassist Lisa Wulff. The festival offers a colorful mix of current trends in jazz and includes both local talent and international guests. The Hamburg.de points out that the program had exciting things in store for every jazz fan.

Another key moment in the history of the Jazz Open was the founding of the Jazzbüro Hamburg association in 1997, which has been responsible for organizing the festival ever since. Thanks to generous funding from the Hamburg Cultural Authority and the support of the NDR Jazz editorial team, which plans special concerts by the NDR Big Band as highlights, the festival has developed into an important institution over the last three decades.

The Jazz Open was not only a place for meetings, but also a space for creative development and musical experiments. The challenges that the festival overcame during the Corona pandemic are particularly noteworthy: in 2021 the event took place in HALLE 424, while in 2022 a return to the park was celebrated under difficult conditions.

Look back and forward

The 30th anniversary of the Jazz Open Hamburg is not only a reason to celebrate, but also offers an opportunity to reflect on the development of the jazz scene in the Hanseatic city. With a clear vision to continue to be a home for jazz lovers in the future and a varied program that includes both established artists and new talent, the festival will certainly continue to be popular in the years to come.

For anyone who would like to find out more about the festival, further information is available on the website HafenCity newspaper available. Be inspired and immerse yourself in the multifaceted world of jazz – the Jazz Open Hamburg offers you the perfect opportunity to do so!