Autumn in Emilia-Romagna lights up with jazz. From Tuesday 13 October to Sunday 8 November 2026 the Bologna Jazz Festival returns with around 70 concerts across Bologna, Ferrara and Forlì: a month in which the region’s theatres, auditoriums and clubs work as a single concert hall. Artistic direction is by Francesco Bettini, and the festival is organized by the Fondazione Bologna in Musica ETS.
The four theatre dates
At the heart of the programme are the four main concerts announced by the organizers:
- Friday 16 October: Fabrizio Bosso Quartet at the Unipol Auditorium in Bologna.
- Wednesday 28 October: Al Di Meola Acoustic Trio at the Teatro Celebrazioni.
- Tuesday 3 November: Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets with Celebrate Weather Report at the Teatro Duse.
- Friday 6 November: Emmet Cohen with Miles & Coltrane at 100, again at the Unipol Auditorium.
The festival in the clubs and the other cities
Around the theatres revolves the densest part of the programme, the one in Bologna’s clubs: Cantina Bentivoglio, Camera Jazz & Music Club, Bravo Caffè, Locomotiv Club, Binario69 and Sghetto Club.
In Ferrara the headquarters is the Torrione Jazz Club, with the Roberto Gatto Quintet feat. Pietro Tonolo and their Around Miles & Trane on 23 October and the Chico Pinheiro Quartet on the 24th. In Forlì the programme runs from Doctor 3 meet Avishai Cohen on 31 October at the Auditorium Conad to the closing date on 8 November with Matteo Paggi at the Fabbrica delle Candele.
Why this event is not to be missed
2026 is the year of the centenaries of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and the festival moves through it without turning it into a commemoration: the tributes sit alongside contemporary jazz and the youngest Italian scene. It is also one of the few festivals that holds together the theatre format and the club format, with different tickets and different atmospheres within the same week.
Practical info
- When: from 13 October to 8 November 2026.
- Where: Bologna, Ferrara and Forlì, between theatres and clubs.
- Line-up: Fabrizio Bosso, Al Di Meola, Kurt Elling with the Yellowjackets, Emmet Cohen and around 70 concerts.
- Tickets: on the festival’s official channels, with different formats for theatres and clubs.
- Official website: bolognajazzfestival.com.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate ticket for every concert?
Yes: each date has its own admission ticket. Conditions and any combined formats are published on the festival website.
Is the festival only in Bologna?
No: the 2026 programme also involves Ferrara, with the Torrione Jazz Club, and Forlì, with the Auditorium Conad and the Fabbrica delle Candele.