The summer of 2024 brings jazzopen Stuttgart back to the city for its annual run. Founded in 1994, the festival combines jazz with soul, R&B, pop, rock, and electronic music. Its bill includes established international artists alongside newer acts, so jazzopen Stuttgart tickets attract more than a traditional jazz audience.
For visitors planning a Stuttgart summer trip, the festival gives the city a busy schedule of open-air concerts and evening shows in central locations. The 2024 edition runs across ten days in July, with major names playing at venues around the city centre.
The origin and evolution of jazzopen Stuttgart
The jazzopen Stuttgart began in 1994 and has returned each summer as part of Stuttgart’s concert calendar. The name points to jazz, but the programming has never been limited to one style. Jazz artists appear alongside singers and bands associated with soul, R&B, pop, rock, and electronic music.
That broader booking approach explains why the festival appeals to people with different listening habits. A visitor may come for a jazz piano set, a pop headliner, or an evening performance by an established rock artist. The result is a Stuttgart music festival with a changing sound from one night to the next.
Dates and venues
jazzopen Stuttgart 2024 runs from 18 July to 29 July. The programme includes 50 live performances across four stages during those ten days. This makes it useful to check individual concert dates before booking travel or accommodation, especially if there is one artist you want to see.
Concerts take place at locations including the New Palace and Palace Square. These central Stuttgart venues put much of the festival within easy reach of hotels, restaurants, museums, and public transport. Outdoor shows can feel very different from indoor concerts, so visitors should check the venue listed on their ticket and prepare for summer weather.
Palace Square, or Schlossplatz, is one of the most familiar public spaces in Stuttgart. A concert there places the audience close to the city’s historic centre, which can make it easy to combine dinner, sightseeing, and an evening performance without spending much time travelling across town.
Lineup
The jazzopen Stuttgart 2024 lineup includes Lenny Kravitz, Sam Smith, Jamie Cullum, Sting, and MEUTE. It is a varied group: Kravitz is associated with rock and funk, Smith with pop and soul, Cullum with jazz-pop, Sting with rock and pop, and MEUTE with electronic brass music.
Previous jazzopen editions have included BB King, Katie Melua, Grace Jones, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Chicago, Diana Krall, and Jamiroquai. Those past bookings give a clear idea of the festival’s taste. It has room for jazz, but it also books artists whose work sits outside traditional jazz.
For people searching for the jazzopen Stuttgart lineup, the official programme is the best place to confirm performance dates, venue details, and any changes. Headliners may play on different nights, and a festival pass is not always the best option if you only plan to attend one or two concerts.
Tickets and pricing
Jazzopen Stuttgart ticket prices vary by concert date and seating category. Many day tickets cost around 70 euros, although prices can differ for major headliners and individual venues. Full-festival passes may reduce the cost per concert for visitors who plan to attend several shows.
Tickets are generally sold online through the official festival site. Popular jazzopen Stuttgart concerts can sell out, particularly performances by widely known artists. Buying early is sensible if you have fixed travel dates or want seats in a specific category.
Before completing a purchase, check whether the ticket is for an open-air or indoor venue, the entry time, and any venue rules on bags or food. These small details matter after a long day of travel. If you are arranging a Stuttgart city break around the festival, book accommodation after confirming your concert dates.
More than the concerts
Music is the reason most people attend jazzopen Stuttgart, but festival venues also have food and drinks available. That practical option matters during long evenings, especially at Palace Square, where visitors may arrive early and stay until the final set.
The food offering is not the reason to visit, and it does not need to be. It gives concertgoers a simple way to eat and drink without leaving the area between performances. Visitors who prefer a full meal may want to eat at a nearby restaurant before entering the venue.
Other events in Stuttgart
Stuttgart hosts events throughout the year, including the Cultures Festival, Weindorf Festival, and Volksfest Wasen. Each event has a different atmosphere and audience. Weindorf centres on wine, while Wasen is known for fairground rides, beer tents, and seasonal crowds.
Visitors staying beyond the jazzopen dates may find another event on the city calendar. It is worth checking local listings before a summer visit, since dates and schedules can change. A weekend in Stuttgart can easily include a concert, a museum visit, and a local festival without requiring a tightly planned itinerary.
Stuttgart, the host city
Stuttgart is Germany’s sixth-largest city. It has historic buildings, museums, parks, vineyards, and wineries, as well as the football club VfB Stuttgart. The city is spread across hills and valleys, so views and walking routes can change quickly from one district to another.
Between jazzopen Stuttgart concerts, visitors can spend time in the city centre or head to a park, museum, or vineyard area. Stuttgart does not feel like a flat, compact city, and some routes involve slopes or stairs. Comfortable shoes are a better choice than treating every attraction as a short walk from Palace Square.
Getting around Stuttgart
Stuttgart has an extensive public transport network, so visitors can usually reach jazzopen festival venues without a car. Local trains, trams, and buses connect the central area with other parts of the city. For concerts near Palace Square and the New Palace, public transport can be easier than searching for parking after work or during a busy summer evening.
Accommodation includes furnished apartments and hotels. Staying near the centre can reduce travel time after a late concert, though properties outside the central area may also work well if they are close to an S-Bahn or U-Bahn station. Taxis are available for later journeys and trips outside central Stuttgart.
Check the last public transport departures after your concert. This is especially useful if an encore or delayed start pushes the end of the show later than expected.
Other attractions in Stuttgart
Visitors in Stuttgart for jazzopen can also visit the Porsche Museum, the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Garden, or Königstraße for shopping. The Porsche Museum and Mercedes-Benz Museum suit visitors interested in automotive history, while Wilhelma provides a slower day outdoors.
The museums are popular and can take up most of a day if you want to see them properly. Trying to fit both into the same afternoon before an evening concert may feel rushed. Königstraße is easier to visit in shorter gaps between plans because it is in the central shopping area.
A balanced jazzopen Stuttgart itinerary may leave one daytime period open. That gives you time for a museum, lunch, a walk through the city centre, or a rest before the concert. Festival days can be long, particularly when outdoor entry begins well before the main act.
Past editions
Past jazzopen editions have brought many international artists to Stuttgart. Performances by BB King, Diana Krall, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, and Jamiroquai show the range of the festival’s booking history.
The 2024 programme continues that approach with artists from outside the traditional jazz field. That may disappoint listeners seeking a strictly jazz-only festival, but it is also the reason the event draws a broad crowd. The schedule is best approached as a series of individual concerts rather than one uniform genre experience.
Final thoughts
jazzopen Stuttgart 2024 combines a varied concert programme with time in Stuttgart during summer. The festival may suit dedicated jazz listeners, but the lineup reaches far beyond jazz alone, with pop, rock, soul, R&B, and electronic influences on the bill.
Jazzopen Stuttgart 2024 runs for ten days in July, with concerts at several central venues. Check the official ticket page for current availability, prices, concert dates, and venue information before making travel plans.
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