JazzDay Lyon

JazzDay Lyon: 24 Hours of Jazz for a Global Day

Since 2013, Lyon and its metropolitan area have celebrated International Jazz Day every April 30th, proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011 at the initiative of pianist Herbie Hancock. JazzDay Lyon is one of the most significant local iterations of this global event, mobilizing an impressive network of venues and artists across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

A Metropolitan and Regional Event

JazzDay Lyon extends far beyond the city limits. Coordinated by Jazz à Vienne, the event reaches a vast territory: Lyon, Vienne, Saint-Étienne, Villefranche-sur-Saône, Bourgoin-Jallieu, and Mâcon. In 2025, over 30 concerts and events were scheduled in Lyon alone, with about thirty others spread across partner cities.

Over 200 Artists and 40 Venues

Each year, JazzDay Lyon brings together over 200 artists in nearly 40 venues with diverse identities: bars, concert halls, restaurants, MJCs, media libraries, music schools, and even hospitals, nursing homes, and day centers. This diversity of venues reflects the festival's commitment to bringing jazz to everyone, including audiences furthest from culture.

A Program at the Crossroads of Disciplines

The JazzDay program blends concerts, jam sessions, exhibitions, film screenings, and educational workshops, offering a total immersion into the world of jazz and improvised music. From gypsy jazz to free jazz, from swing to electro-jazz, all styles are represented, reflecting the vitality and diversity of the regional jazz scene.

Jazz à Vienne: The Historic Coordinator

JazzDay Lyon has been coordinated since its inception by Jazz à Vienne, the association that organizes the renowned Jazz à Vienne festival. The event was born in the Lyon metropolitan area following a meeting in 2013 between Armelle Arrou (Director of UNESCO Events) and Mika Shino (Jazz Day Production Manager).