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Montreux Jazz Festival is pulling out all the stops for its 60th edition, after unveiling its most expansive free programme yet. Nestled on the Lake Geneva shoreline, starting just one month today from 3-18 July 2026, music lovers can indulge in more than 700 events spread across 12 stages from concerts, DJ sets and jam sessions to workshops and screenings, making it one of the most extensive free music offerings in Europe.
Among the headline names announced for the free programme are electronic music innovators Avalon Emerson, Helena Hauff, DJ Nobu, Eris Drew, TSHA, Lil Louis and DBN Gogo, alongside acclaimed live acts such as RÜFÜS DU SOL, Madra Salach, Midnight Generation, Mei Semones, Tomoki Sanders, Knats, Yilian Cañizares and Samora.
As well as shining a light on emerging talent from around the world, the festival will take a moment to pause and reflect on its milestone year with a major exhibition, “Putting Montreux on the Map.” Charting the journey of how a small town in Switzerland became a global capital of music, the exhibition will hit the right notes with the likes of legendary performers David Bowie, Prince and Nina Simone. The remarkable story will be told through objects, audiovisual archives, photographs and original artworks, many of which have never be shown in public.
A major new addition for 2026 is the Duplex, an immersive electronic music venue housed within the newly reopened Convention Centre. Spanning two floors and an outdoor terrace, the space will host a forward-thinking club programme featuring artists such as Avalon Emerson, DJ Nobu, Helena Hauff, Chlär and Eris Drew.
Elsewhere, the free programme includes the launch of Paloma, a new beach club, restaurant and lakeside social space at Parc Vernex, alongside the return of the Festival’s much-loved jam sessions, film screenings, listening sessions, dance classes and pool parties.
At the heart of the Festival’s jazz offering, The Memphis will present workshops and conversations featuring leading artists including Charles Lloyd, Marcus Miller, Deep Purple and Gregory Porter, alongside nightly concerts and late-night jam sessions. The venue will also showcase some of the most exciting names on today’s international jazz scene, including New York artists CARRTOONS and Tomoki Sanders, Newcastle collective Knats, genre-blending US singer-songwriter Mei Semones, Spanish duo Maestro Espada, Thai drummer Salin and Australian producer Alexander Flood.
Elsewhere in the Lake House, the Cinema and Library programmes will explore three major themes: the history of electronic music through landmark Montreux performances and listening sessions dedicated to pioneering artists such as Kraftwerk, Aphex Twin and The Chemical Brothers; the centenary of Miles Davis, celebrated through archive concert screenings and classic recordings; and a closing tribute to David Bowie, examining both his connection to Montreux and the jazz influences that shaped his later work.
The free programme forms a central part of the Montreux Jazz Festival’s 60th edition, representing over 90% of the festival’s overall programme with 140 concerts, 320 DJ sets, 240 activities, and 48 nationalities on show, underlining Montreux’s commitment to accessibility, discovery and international cultural exchange.
These new additions join an awe-inspiring and genre-spanning main lineup, which features headline performances from music legends such as RAYE (who will mark her third consecutive year headlining the festival), Sting, The Roots, Van Morrison, and Deep Purple, as well as some of the world’s most exciting ascendant artists including PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, Sienna Spiro, Tyla, and far more.
MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL
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