From jazz to heavy metal: festivals in Basel

As Switzerland's city of art and culture, Basel boasts a glittering repertoire of leisure activities, from alternative shopping opportunities and tourist attractions to museums. And when it comes to music festivals, Basel is right up there with other major European counterparts too. Many famous bands – such as Metallica on their iconic "Monsters of Rock Tour" in Basel − find their way to this charming city on the Rhine. We present you with the most popular music festivals in Basel.

BScene: the music festival in Basel

BScene Basel,, better known as the "Basel Music Festival", is a non-profit festival that takes place in various clubs in Basel for two days each year. It focuses on the regional music scene, and the programme features an impressively wide range of genres. From pop and rock through to heavy metal, the event offers everything that music enthusiasts could wish for.

 

Basel Interfinity Festival: the ultimate in classical music

The Basel Interfinity Festival was founded by the Basel concert pianist Lukas Loos. People who are passionate about classical music certainly get their money's worth at these top-quality concerts, with musicians and ensembles from all over Switzerland taking part in the festival. With its interdisciplinary and innovative productions between music and science, it inspires a wide audience.

Basel IMFLUSS Festival: music in the middle of the Rhine

With its magical location, the Basel IMFLUSS Festival Basel, which takes place in late summer, is an absolute delight. The stage for this free summer event is located in the middle of the Rhine, next to the Mittlere Brücke in Basel. Regional and international acts attract up to 50,000 fans and create an unforgettable atmosphere on the Rhine embankment in Kleinbasel.

 

imagine Festival Basel: more than just music

The annual imagine Festival, which takes place on Barfüsserplatz, is an important part of the cultural scene in Basel. International, national and regional bands showcase their music at this eclectic festival. Cabaret acts such as acrobatics and poetry slams round off the programme. But there's more than just a love of music behind this cultural event. The message conveyed by the imagine Festival in Basel is: "For diversity, against discrimination in Basel".

Congenial street festival with good music: Em Bebbi Sy Jazz

Em Bebbi Sy Jazz (dialect for: dem Basler sein Jazz [loosely translated as "Jazz for Basel"]) is one of Basel's biggest street festivals. National and international bands fire up fans with top-drawer jazz at more than 30 locations. The festival has been held since 1984, usually on the first Friday after the summer holidays in Basel. An added bonus: all the concerts are free.

 

Big Basel Festival: a music event for big line-ups

Big Basel is a relatively new music festival that takes place in the Jazzcampus Club at Utengasse 15. It was first held in January 2020, and is entirely devoted to big bands and large jazz ensembles. 

The project is one of a kind in Europe. Numerous excellent musicians combine their skills on stage. There's no wonder that the Big Basel music festival has already featured numerous stars such as Marilyn Mazur, Aydin Esen and the Paris-based "Orchestre National du Jazz". This music festival is an absolute must for fans of formal jazz!