The festival, curated by an Emma Award-winning singer, brings top names in Finnish music to Herttoniemi. Alongside the main programme, audiences will be treated to the AistiJazz experience, being held for the first time.
Herttoniemi Jazzfest, which received an enthusiastic reception last autumn, will take place again on 2–4 October 2026. The event is a love letter from Emma Gala and Indie Awards-winning musician and sound artist Kadi Vija to Herttoniemi and its spirit: a culture that springs from encounters between people.
The three-day festival programme consists of performances by internationally acclaimed musicians who are either current or former residents of Herttoniemi, held at local restaurants and cafés.
For the festival’s artistic director Kadi Vija, jazz is not a genre but rather a state of mind that creates freedom, a sense of community, and opportunities for communication and inspiration around it.
“Within the festival programme, jazz is an umbrella concept that encompasses different genres of music and artists who venture between them. Each artist in this year’s line-up approaches music through emotion and shies away from the boundaries imposed by genres,” Vija describes.
Alongside the main programme, the AistiJazz event will be held for the first time this year, allowing audiences to experience music through multiple senses in three different experiences dedicated to the senses. In MakuJazz, a chef-prepared snack experience inspired by nostalgia takes on a new dimension in the soundscape created by live jazz. In VisuJazz, visual artists create a work in sync with the music, while in KehoJazz, the audience gets to tune into their sense of touch and their bodies under the guidance of a dance teacher as a live band performs.
Herttoniemi Jazzfest was held for the first time in autumn 2025. The festival, curated by Kadi Vija, was originally intended to celebrate the singer’s 40th birthday. However, the idea grew beyond itself, and the three-day event received praise from audiences and artists alike for its communal and warm atmosphere, as well as its high-quality programme.
In addition to musicians, other local talents are involved in bringing the festival to life, from a graphic designer and producer to volunteers. Local partners produce festival merchandise, such as Herttoniemi Jazzfest’s signature beer.
LINKS
Herttoniemi Jazzfest programme: https://kadivija.com/herttoniemi-jazzfest
AistiJazz programme: https://kadivija.com/aistijazz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herttoniemijazzfest/
Tickets for the event are sold by www.biletti.fi.
Kadi Vija © Aaron Blanco Tejedor