The Budapest Jazz Club returns in 2026 with a packed calendar of live shows, international headliners, and nightly jams in a high-spec concert hall. Tucked between a nostalgic Budapest café and a modern bistro at 1136 Budapest, 13th District, Hollán Ernő u. 7., it’s a spot worth dropping into even by day. Concerts start at 20:00, while the hugely popular jam sessions from Tuesday to Saturday kick off after 22:00. The mood is intimate, the sound is crisp, and the doors are open to die-hard jazz fans and newcomers alike.
April Highlights: Trios, Open Mics, and Radio Nights
April 22 splits the night in two: Wednesday Open Jam with the Oláh Zoltán Trio and a full set from the Szakcsi Jr. Trio. On April 23, Szakcsi Radio Jazz Night hosts Pankastic!, followed by the BJC Café Jam with the Balázs József Trio. April 24 turns into a big-band masterclass: Harmónia Jazzműhely presents the Budapest Jazz Orchestra featuring legendary bassist Chuck Israels, then a free BJC Jam with Nagy Iván Classic Jam. On April 25, the Pintér Péter Trio runs the free jam, and the FIDELIO Jazz Night spotlights the Gyémánt Bálint Trio.
April 26 shakes up the format with family theatre—Fogi Színház stages Hamupipőke (Cinderella)—and a milestone concert, CsDP 30! – a band-backed half-recital that taps into long-time followers’ nostalgia. April 27 is the first Szakcsi Lakatos Béla International Jazz Piano Competition, a tribute to one of Hungary’s towering jazz figures.
UNESCO Jazz Day Festival Takes Over
From April 28 to May 3, the UNESCO Jazz Day Festival floods the club with swing, modern trios, and global collaborations. It opens April 28 with Myrtill és a Swinguistique and an LFZE Open Mic Session, giving emerging talents the big-room glow. April 29 rebrands Wednesday as Random Szerda: trumpeter-producer Lőrinc Barabás teams up with Russian guest Anton Silaev, alongside the Rieger Attila Trio open jam.
April 30 brings the BJC Café Jam with the Jónás Gézu Trio and a festival-featured set by the Szabó Dániel Trio with guest guitarist Juhász Gábor. On May 1, Harmónia Jazzműhely lines up a cross-border coup: Christian Garrick (UK) joins the Balázs József Trio, while the festival’s free Jam Session night rolls late. May 2 heats up with the Révész Richárd Latin Quartet featuring Cuban vocalists Yulaysi Miranda and Elisabeth Herrera in a son-style program. May 3 closes with the BJC Big Band playing Dave Pell Octet charts, capped by a Sunday Free Jam Session that’s open, loud, and full of surprises.
May: Symphonies, Studio Legends, and Vocal Firepower
The calendar doesn’t cool off after UNESCO week. On May 9, MÁV Symphony Orchestra lands with Music – Space – Image concerts – PERCUSSION, digging into rhythm’s architecture. That same night, Studio11 Evenings hosts the Studio11 Ensemble with Kocsis Tibor, blending legacy studio sheen with contemporary flair. May 10 hands the stage to the Bartók Conservatory Jazz Department for a Serenade, a showcase for the next generation.
May 11’s ALERANT Jazz Night pairs Sárik Péter Trio X Bartók, riffing on the composer’s DNA. On May 12, Nikoletta Szőke headlines Gipsy Queen Live—expect vocal fireworks. On May 13, Budateher Jazz Night presents Red Stones, while May 14 gives the stage to the Balázs Elemér Group, introduced by NMK.
Harmónia Jazzműhely returns May 15 with the Tacet Jazz Quintet; on May 21 the radiocafé banner lifts Groovus; and on May 22 the club goes truly global: World Stars at Budapest Jazz Club presents the Chris Potter Trio (USA) with Matt Brewer and Kendrick Scott. It’s a heavyweight night by any measure. The month rounds out with PORT.hu Jazz Night: Budapest Bossa Nova on May 26, ALERANT Jazz Night with the Gereben Zita Quintet on May 27, and Macedonian guitarist-singer-bandleader Vladimir Cetkar on May 30.
Beyond Spring: Festivals and Winter Warmers
Summer is already mapped: the Budapest Jazz Club presents the Malomvölgy Festival on August 13, 14, and 15—three days to soak up open-air grooves. And save the date for November 22: Vilmos Gryllus returns with a Winter Concert, a gentle seasonal anchor that wraps folk warmth around the venue’s late-autumn glow.
How to Make a Night of It
The club is in the 13th District at Hollán Ernő u. 7., a short hop from the city’s business, shopping, and dining arteries. It doubles as a cozy jazz café and a modern bistro, so you can slide in for coffee at noon and swing back for dinner and a set at night. Tech heads will appreciate the club’s state-of-the-art sound in the main hall; casual listeners will just notice how good everything feels. Most concerts start at 20:00; jam sessions from Tuesday to Saturday light up after 22:00. Booking a table is smart on festival nights and when big names land.
Stay, Stroll, Soak It In
If you’re traveling in, the wider area is thick with hotels—from riverfront spa classics overlooking Margaret Island to boutique hideaways near Nyugati Railway Station. Margaret Island’s parks and the Danube promenades are within easy reach, so the jazz can be bookended with morning runs, café strolls, or late-night walks under the bridges.
One note: organizers reserve the right to change dates and programs, so check in before you go. Then step inside, grab a seat, and let Budapest’s jazz heartbeat set the tempo for your spring and summer.
