Malta Jazz Festival
Annual Jazz Festival in Valletta · Valletta · Europa Centre, John Lopez Street, Floriana, Malta
Enquire through VisitMalta.co.ukServices, hours and details last checked against Malta Jazz Festival's own published information.
Malta Jazz Festival is an annual week of jazz concerts in Valletta, organised by the national agency Festivals Malta, which has its office in Floriana. The festival brings international names and Maltese musicians together across several jazz styles, and the next edition is set for 5 to 10 July 2027. Send your question through the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass it to the organisers.
Malta Jazz Festival is a summer fixture in Valletta, built around the idea of celebrating international jazz giants alongside Maltese musicians while mixing different styles of the genre. The next edition runs from 5 to 10 July 2027, with the venue still to be confirmed, so it sits neatly in the early part of the Maltese summer when the evenings are warm enough for late sets.
For UK visitors it makes a good reason to plan a short break around Valletta. Our Valletta guide explains how the capital is laid out, and the Malta weather guide shows what July is likely to feel like. The festival is also listed among the island's entertainment venues in Malta.
Who organises the festival
Malta Jazz Festival belongs to the portfolio of Festivals Malta, the national government body set up in 2017 to nurture and grow festivals and cultural events across Malta and Gozo. The agency looks after an annual calendar of more than 160 separate activities spread over 11 festivals and 5 national events, aiming to give local artists a platform and to promote Malta internationally as a festival destination.
Other festivals in the same portfolio include the Valletta Baroque Festival, the Malta International Arts Festival, the Valletta Guitar Festival, Notte Bianca and Mużika Mużika, so a trip timed around one event can often be matched with another cultural date elsewhere in the year.
What the programme looks like
The 2026 programme gives a good sense of the format. It opened on 6 July at the Valletta Campus Theatre with a concert by the Dominic Galea Quartet, a tribute to Maltese jazz composers from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, preceded by opening speeches and a documentary screening. Evening concerts followed through the week, including the Vincent Bourgeyx Trio on 7 July, Guilhem Flouzat's I'm Nice on 8 July and Toninho Horta's quartet with Seamus Blake on 9 July.
Around the main concerts sat late night sessions at Offbeat, street performances by the Tinto Brass Band, and a documentary called Keeping Time telling the story of the festival. The closing weekend, on 10 and 11 July, was marked by the two days of Ta' Liesse, and a children's concert on 11 July gave families a way in.
The artists announced for the festival ranged from Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ghost-Note and Terri Lyne Carrington to Aaron Parks and Maltese acts such as the ĦOSS Project, the Daniel Sant Trio and a duo of Mariele Zammit and Kris Spiteri.
Tickets, passes and the festival story
Individual concerts are ticketed, with a separate buy-tickets option beside each event on the programme, and a festival pass is also on offer for anyone planning to attend several nights. Headliners are announced ahead of the dates, so it is worth deciding which evenings matter most to you before you book flights.
The festival has its own history too: the 2026 programme included Keeping Time, a documentary about the story of the Malta Jazz Festival, shown on the opening day. Programme details, artist line-ups and ticket availability can change from year to year, so ask through our enquiry form if you want the organisers to confirm what applies to the edition you plan to attend.
Making the most of a Valletta festival week
Valletta is compact and best explored on foot, so a week of evening concerts leaves the days free for sightseeing. Visit St John's Co-Cathedral in the morning, take in the harbour views from the Upper Barrakka Gardens, and read up on the city's origins in our Knights of Malta guide.
For the rest of your stay, things to do in Malta covers the wider island, and another entertainment option in the directory is the entertainment venue 97Notes. If you are choosing a base, browse hotels in Valletta or our guide on where to stay in Malta, and compare flights to Malta from UK airports.
To ask about the programme, passes or planning a visit around the festival, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the organisers.
Questions about Malta Jazz Festival
When is the next Malta Jazz Festival?
The next edition is announced for 5 to 10 July 2027 in Valletta, with the venue still to be confirmed. Programme details for each year are released nearer the time by the organisers, Festivals Malta.
Who organises the festival?
Festivals Malta organises it. This is the national government body launched in 2017 to develop festivals and cultural events in Malta and Gozo, and it looks after 11 festivals and 5 national events each year.
What kind of music can I expect?
The festival aims to be an authentic jazz event that blends different jazz styles. Past lineups have mixed international bandleaders and Maltese musicians, alongside late night sessions, a brass band playing in the streets and a children's concert.
Which venues have been used?
The 2026 opening concert took place at the Valletta Campus Theatre, and late night sessions were held at Offbeat. Venues for the 2027 edition are still to be confirmed, so check the programme when it is announced.
Is there something for children?
Yes. The 2026 programme included a children's concert on 11 July, on the final weekend of the festival. Families can combine it with daytime sightseeing in Valletta, which is compact and easy to explore on foot.
Where is the festival office?
Festivals Malta, the organiser, has its office on Level 2 of the Europa Centre on John Lopez Street in Floriana, next to Valletta. For general questions you can use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message on.
Practical information
The festival is staged in Valletta, with the next edition announced for 5 to 10 July 2027 and the venue still to be confirmed. It is organised by Festivals Malta, whose office is at Festivals Malta, Level 2, Europa Centre, John Lopez Street, Floriana FRN1400. Tickets for individual concerts and a festival pass are sold through the festival's own pages. For questions about the programme or visiting from the UK, use the enquiry form on this page and VisitMalta.co.uk will pass your message to the organisers.
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The details on this page were correct on 25 October 2026, as published on the Malta Jazz Festival website. Services, prices and hours can change, so please confirm when you enquire.