The Montreux Jazz Festival, held in Montreux, Switzerland, is an annual jazz festival that dates back to 1967. The festival is a world-class destination for those who love music, and is traditionally held in early to mid July. It is the second largest jazz festival in the world, behind Canada’s Montreal International Jazz Festival. While this annual tradition was rooted in solely jazz music, with some of the first performers being Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald, the festival has since grown and now boasts a diverse range of genres performed. However, jazz has remained central to the festival. Several famous performers that have played at the Montreux Jazz Festival have included: Eric Clapton, Prince, Ringo Starr and George Clinton, who showcase the colorful variety of music played at the festival.
This beloved festival originated at the Montreux Casino, which was burned down during a performance at the festival. This was later referenced in a famous Deep Purple song, “Smoke on the Water.” Venues have changed many times since, and today the festival is held at the Montreux Musique & Convention Centre, Montreux Jazz Café, Montreux Jazz Young Planet, Montreux Jazz Club, MDH Club, Studio 41 and Montreux Jaxx Lab. There is also a Music in the Park element to the festival and several of the venues even offer free admission.
Major musicians and artists at the festival include John Legend, Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga, Die Antwoord, Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige, Alabama Shakes, Lionel Richie, Lenny Kravitz, Aloe Blacc, A$AP Rocky and Santana. The festival also has local performers and high school bands play at some of the free venues. The 2015 festival begins on July 3rd and continues until July 18th.
Tickets are sold in several ways; they can be bought online at montreuxjazzfestival.com, or can be ordered by phone. There are also numerous points of sale for the festival in Austria, Belgium, Germany and France as well as same day purchase available at 4 pm each festival day for that evening’s performances. These tickets can be purchased at the Box Office of the festival, near the Music and Convention Center entrance.
The municipality of Montreux is on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva, and as a luxury travel destination, it is home to several fine hotels that make attending the concert an even greater affair. The Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is a five star hotel on the banks of Lake Geneva and is over one hundred years old. The Montreux Jazz Café, one of the venues for the jazz festival is in this hotel, making it a prime hotel for attending the festival. The Fairmont Le Montreux Palace also offers guests a spa, numerous fine dining options and is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World and Suisse Deluxe Hotels. A few additional hotels that provide not only a sumptuous atmosphere perfect for dining and lounging but also pristine accommodations in Montreux include the Hotel Royal Plaza Montreux, Eurotel Riviera Montreux, and the Eden Palace au Lac. Wherever you choose to stay between these 4 top choices won’t fail to not only satisfy you, but make your experience visiting the festival all the more special.
There are many transportation methods in which to get to the Montreux Jazz Festival. The SBB train line runs a total of forty special trains solely for the festival, and the station is a few minutes walk from the site. It is recommended to buy train tickets that cover a round trip to and from the festival, as trying to sort out transportation after 11 pm can be tricky. If you plan to travel to the Montreux Jazz Festival from France, the TGV Lyria train runs special trains to take people from Paris, to Geneva and Laussane, which are Swiss cities close to Montreux. For those who choose to drive or be driven to the festival, there are parking lots on the outskirts of the site and shuttles run frequently to and from the festival grounds and the lots.
For families attending the Montreux Jazz Festival, there are numerous accommodations for small children and teenagers under the age of eighteen. For no charge, children aged three to teen are allowed to stay at the daycare center near the festival for a maximum of four hours, and the centers are open until one to two in the morning. Teenagers and older children are welcome at Young Planet in Montreux, which offers a smoke and alcohol free space for activities daily until midnight. Bars or other venues that serve alcohol are off limits to festival goers under eighteen.
No photography or videoing is allowed at the festival. Other prohibited items are skating toys, glass objects, weapons, umbrellas, or cameras. Children under the age of six are not permitted to attend concerts or jazz boats and trains, and those younger than sixteen must be with an adult at all times during the festival.
The Montreux Jazz Festival is a wonderful complement to a European summer vacation, as it’s uniqueness cannot be found in many other locales and the performers are a treat to see live. It allows for there to be a portion of your vacation dedicated to entertainment at its best, other than exploring or relaxing. Visiting the festival can also be a unique experience located in a lovely lakeside city in its own right. For any further information, or to purchase tickets to the festival, please visit montreuxjazzfestival.com.