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# Vilnius Jazz 2026: programme, venues and dates (14–19 October)
- URL: https://blog.zolak.lt/vilnius-jazz-2026-programme-venues-and-dates-14-19-october/
- Published: 2026-10-05T07:44:13.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-05T07:44:13.000Z
- Description: The 39th Vilnius Jazz festival runs 14–19 October. Every concert, talk and film, with venues and times.
- Author: Piotr Markielau
- Tags: What's On, Music, #auto

**Vilnius Jazz 2026, the 39th edition of the festival, runs from 14 to 19 October.** The main concerts are at the Vilnius Old Theatre (J. Basanavičiaus g. 13) every evening at 19:00, with late-night sets at PERONAS, afternoon talks at the MO Museum and two warm-up films at Skalvija the weekend before. Tickets are sold through bilietai.lt; the programme does not list any of the concerts as free.

Vilnius Jazz is not the smooth-dinner kind of jazz festival. It has a long habit of booking free improvisation, avant-garde and whatever the edges of the genre are doing that year. This year's line-up leans towards Africa, Portugal's Clean Feed label and big, loud ensembles.

## Vilnius Jazz 2026 programme, day by day

All times are Vilnius time, as published on the festival's programme page.

### Before the festival: films at Skalvija (A. Goštauto g. 2)

- **Mon 12 October, 20:30:** *Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat* (Belgium, Netherlands, France).
- **Tue 13 October, 19:40:** *Ronnie's: Ronnie Scott and His World Famous Jazz Club* (UK).

### Wed 14 October

- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Hugo Carvalhais Oblong Emission (Portugal–Lithuania), Dainius Pulauskas Group (Lithuania).

### Thu 15 October

- **17:00, MO Museum (Pylimo g. 17):** talk by Pedro Costa, "Clean Feed: Wrong but Strong 2001–2026" (Portugal).
- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Claude Tchamitchian: In Spirit (France), Garfo (Portugal), T. Kutavičius – K. Jušinskas – K. Gikas – A. Gotesman (Lithuania).
- **23:00, PERONAS (Geležinkelio g. 6):** Vilnius Jazz Night Stage with Lithuanian ensembles.

### Fri 16 October

- **17:00, MO Museum:** Kasparas Pocius, "In Search of the Black Atlantis: Jazz, Africa, and the Process of Decolonization".
- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Matchume Zango (Mozambique), São Paulo Underground (USA–Brazil).
- **23:00, PERONAS:** Night Stage.

### Sat 17 October

- **17:00, MO Museum:** Matchume Zango, "Mozambique Community Sounds and Social Interaction".
- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Ward no.4 (Lithuania), Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra (USA).
- **23:00, PERONAS:** Night Stage.

### Sun 18 October

- **15:00, Old Theatre:** Vilnius Jazz Young Power: Ovalas, Aironas Genutis Quartet, The Moving, Ofisas and Moose tick ensemble (all Lithuania).
- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Andreas Røysum Ensemble & Marvin Tate (Norway–USA).

### Mon 19 October

- **19:00, Old Theatre:** Nduduzo Makhathini (South Africa).

There is also a photo exhibition, *Sigitas Kondratas: Visual Improvisations*; check the festival site for where and when it is open.

## If you only go to one or two nights

No reviews from us, just how the week is built, so you can choose:

- **Friday 16th** is the Africa and Brazil night. Matchume Zango plays percussion and timbila, the Mozambican xylophone, and gives a talk the next afternoon; São Paulo Underground is Rob Mazurek's long-running project with Brazilian musicians.
- **Saturday 17th** is the big-band night: Mazurek again, this time with the Exploding Star Orchestra, plus a Lithuanian opener. Then PERONAS for the night stage.
- **Sunday 18th, 15:00** is Young Power: five young Lithuanian groups in one afternoon. The cheapest way to hear where the local scene is going.
- **Monday 19th** is a single headliner, South African pianist Nduduzo Makhathini, as a close to the week.
- The **MO Museum talks** at 17:00 are a good warm-up before the 19:00 concerts; the two venues are about a 15-minute walk apart.

## Practical notes

- **Tickets:** bilietai.lt, linked from the festival site. Buy the weekend nights early.
- **Late nights:** the PERONAS night stage starts at 23:00 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, next to the train station.
- **Weather:** it is mid-October in Vilnius. Bring a layer for the walk between venues.

## Bringing a band, or want your own after-show?

If you are playing in Vilnius that week and need a place to rehearse, crash for a night or have a private after-party, [ZOLAK can be booked for a private event](https://book.zolak.lt/zolak?ref=blog.zolak.lt): a loft for up to 50 people in the former ELFA factory at Vytenio g. 50D, with a sound system, a kitchen and a sauna.

## Sources

- [Vilnius Jazz 2026: official programme](https://www.vilniusjazz.lt/2026/program.php?ref=blog.zolak.lt)
- [Go Vilnius: Vilnius's biggest events of 2026](https://www.govilnius.lt/visit-vilnius/latest-tips/vilniuss-biggest-events-of-2026?ref=blog.zolak.lt)