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Java Jazz Festival, Jakarta guide
Three days of jazz, soul and pop.
In short
Music fans can expect Java Jazz Festival over the last weekend of May; the likeliest dates are Friday 28 to Sunday 30 May 2027, but organisers had not announced dates or venue. The 2026 edition moved to NICE PIK2 in Pantai Indah Kapuk 2. Indonesian acts share the bill with international headliners, so check the programme before booking.
The Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival, Indonesia's biggest and one of the largest in Asia, has lately filled a Jakarta-area exhibition centre for three days at the end of May. The music roams well beyond jazz into soul, R&B, pop and Indonesian acts. Dates for 2027 are still to come.
Going by recent editions, the likeliest weekend is Friday 28 to Sunday 30 May 2027. The venue is open too: in 2026 the festival left JIExpo Kemayoran for NICE PIK2, a new convention centre in the Pantai Indah Kapuk 2 area.
Indonesian musicians have shared the bill with international headliners since the first festival in 2005. Sets start in the afternoon and run late into the night.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Ends: Sunday, 30 May 2027
Where: Jakarta, Indonesia
Held: Every year
Type of event: Live Events, Musical Events
Currency: Indonesian rupiah (Rp, IDR)
Time zone: Western Indonesia Time (WIB), UTC+7
Language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)
Map
Close to the venue
- Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta Hotel · 3 km
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
The move from March to late May
Java Jazz used to be an early March fixture before shifting to late May and early June. The 2025 edition ran from 30 May to 1 June and the 2026 one from 29 to 31 May, which points to the last weekend of May for 2027. The line-up is usually revealed in phases over the preceding months. Early bird tickets go on sale well ahead.
From JIExpo Kemayoran to NICE PIK2
For many years the festival's home was JIExpo Kemayoran in central Jakarta. NICE PIK2, where it moved in 2026, is on the northwestern edge of greater Jakarta, a long way from the old site, and Jakarta traffic is heavy. Nobody has said yet which will host 2027, so confirm the venue on the official website before booking a hotel.
Stages, shows and special performances
The 2025 festival packed more than 100 shows onto over 10 stages, plus special shows by big international names that needed separate tickets. With so much on at once, most people build a personal schedule from the timetable app or the printed guide and accept that they will miss things. Food courts and merchandise stalls fill the halls between stages.
2025 ticket prices as a guide
Prices for 2027 are not yet known. In 2025 a one-day pass cost about IDR 875,000 and a three-day pass about IDR 2,100,000, while special shows added between about IDR 275,000 and IDR 545,000. Tickets go through the official festival channels. The most popular special shows sell out, so buy those first.
Moving between stages and staying cool
- Map your route between stages beforehand. The halls are big and the walks take longer than you expect.
- Dress light for the heat and humidity, and keep drinking water.
- Use ride-hailing apps or taxis, and allow plenty of time at closing.
- International flights land at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Living in Indonesia and the Solo Batik Carnival
If one visit turns into a longer stay, our guide to expat life in Indonesia covers the basics. Central Java has its own big street event in the Solo Batik Carnival.
What happens on the day
- Early in the year
Early bird tickets
Early bird passes usually go on sale before the full line-up is known, and they are the cheapest way in.
- Spring
Line-up in phases
Artists are announced in batches, with the special shows by the biggest international names priced and sold separately.
- Festival afternoons
Doors and first sets
Each day starts in the afternoon, with several stages running at once and Indonesian acts filling the smaller rooms.
- Evenings
Special shows
The headline and special-show concerts come after dark; book these first, as they are the tickets that sell out.
- Late night
Last sets and the ride home
The music runs late into the night, and the queue for cars at closing time is the longest of the day.
Waiting for confirmed dates and venue
Two things are still open for 2027: the dates and the venue. Wait for the organisers to publish both on the official site before you commit to anything.
Tickets come in layers. There are day passes, a three-day pass, and separate tickets for special shows by the biggest international names. The 2027 prices have not been released. In 2025, one day cost about IDR 875,000 and all three days about IDR 2,100,000, with special shows adding roughly IDR 275,000 to IDR 545,000 each. Buy the special shows you care about first, since they are the ones that sell out.
Buy through official festival channels only. Our Indonesia page helps with the rest of the trip.
The festival's growth since 2005
The Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in 2005 and has grown into Indonesia's biggest music festival of its kind, and one of the largest in Asia. From the start it has put Indonesian musicians on the same bill as international headliners, which is a large part of its appeal. You can hear a local band you have never heard of, then walk to a hall where a household name is playing.
The name is a little misleading. Jazz is only one strand of the programme, which takes in soul, R&B, pop and plenty of Indonesian acts. In 2025 there were over 10 stages carrying more than 100 shows.
With that much happening at once, nobody sees everything. Regulars plan a personal route using the festival app or the printed programme, and accept the clashes. Between stages, the halls fill with food courts and merchandise stalls, and these become the meeting points for groups that split up for different sets. Agree a meeting point before you go your separate ways.
Getting there
Flying in
International flights land at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, west of the city in Tangerang. From South-East Asia, see Bangkok to Jakarta flights.
Airport to the venue
Ride-hailing apps and metered taxis are the practical choice with luggage. Check which venue hosts the year's festival before you book a room, as the two sites are far apart.
Getting around
Jakarta traffic is heavy at any hour. Leave a large margin to reach the first set, and on the way out consider waiting until the first rush for cars has cleared.
On site
The halls are big and the walks between stages take longer than the map suggests. Study the layout before your first show and plan a route that avoids crossing the whole site between back-to-back sets.
Where to stay during the festival
Do not book until the organisers confirm the venue. In 2026 the festival moved from JIExpo Kemayoran in central Jakarta to NICE PIK2 on the north-western edge of the city, and the two are far enough apart that the wrong hotel can cost you an hour or more each way.
For Kemayoran, central Jakarta has the widest choice. For PIK2, look at hotels in the Pantai Indah Kapuk area or towards the airport, and pick a cancellable rate in case the venue changes.
Jakarta
Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta5-star hotel
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from$170.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Airport shuttle
- Swimming pool
3 Rooms available
Book Now
Weather and what to pack
Late May falls in Jakarta's drier season, but it is still hot and humid. On the 1991-2020 normals for Kemayoran, May averages a high of 33.2°C and a low of 25.8°C, with about 103 mm of rain over roughly eight wet days. June is a little drier, at 80 mm over about six days.
Short downpours are still possible, and the halls can be warm when crowded. Plan breaks indoors and drink water often.
Worth packing
- Light, breathable clothes for hot, humid halls
- Comfortable shoes for long walks between stages
- A refillable water bottle
- A compact umbrella for a passing shower
- A power bank for the festival app and ride-hailing
- A light layer for air-conditioned rooms
Car hire in Jakarta
Airport transfer to Java Jazz Festival, Jakarta
Met at arrivals at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) and driven door to door to Jakarta.
- Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) → Jakarta
- 31 km · 30 min
Restaurants and food in Indonesia
Places to eat in Indonesia before or after the celebrations.
Gudeg Yu Djum
Jalan Wijilan, Panembahan, Kraton, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Cuisine:JavaneseGudeg
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Bebek Bengil
Jalan Hanoman, Padang Tegal, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:BalineseIndonesian
- Dine-in
- Outdoor seating
Cafe Batavia
Jalan Pintu Besar Utara 14, Taman Fatahillah, Kota Tua, Jakarta 11110, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianInternational
- Dine-in
- Bar
Merah Putih
Jalan Petitenget 100X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Cuisine:IndonesianContemporary
- Dine-in
Locavore NXT
Jl. A.A. Gede Rai Gang Pura Panti Bija, Lodtunduh, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia
Cuisine:Indonesian produceTasting menu
- Dine-in
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General
The festival was founded in 2005 by Indonesian businessman Peter F. Gontha, a long-time jazz enthusiast, through his company Java Festival Production. It was set up to put Jakarta on the international music circuit, and it is now regularly described as one of the largest jazz festivals in Asia.
Jazz is the core, from straight-ahead and big band to Latin and fusion. The bill also mixes in soul, R&B, funk and a lot of Indonesian pop. Read the line-up carefully if you only want jazz, as plenty of the biggest crowds are for pop acts.
Phones are fine. Professional cameras with detachable lenses and recording equipment are usually not allowed without media accreditation. Check the current terms and conditions on the official site before you go.
Some stages have seating and others are standing only. Seats at the popular halls fill quickly and are not reserved. If you need to sit, choose a few shows in seated halls and arrive early for them.
Kota Tua, the old Dutch quarter around Fatahillah Square, has the Jakarta History Museum and colonial-era cafes. The National Museum and Monas are in Central Jakarta. For a break from the city, the Thousand Islands are reached by boat from the north coast.
Booking
The organisers usually sell daily passes and three-day passes, with early bird prices first. The biggest headliners play special shows that need an extra ticket on top of a day pass. Prices for 2027 had not been announced as of October 2026, so check the official website and authorised sellers only.
Timing & weather
Get into the hall where the special show is held at least 30 to 45 minutes before the start. Popular stages fill quickly, and moving between halls takes longer than you expect. The first hours of the afternoon are the easiest time to collect wristbands and explore.
Stay & facilities
Outside food and drink are normally not allowed. The venue has a wide range of food stalls, many of them Indonesian, along with drinks bars. Prices are higher than in town, so eat a proper meal before you arrive.
Families & accessibility
Families do attend, mainly for afternoon sets, and the organisers' terms set the rules for children's entry and tickets. The halls are loud and crowded at night, so bring ear protection for young children. Plan an early exit to avoid the late rush for cars.
Getting there
Leave one set early, or wait in a food area for 30 to 60 minutes after the final show until the rush thins. Pre-arranged drivers save time if you agree a pickup point outside the busiest exit. Keep your phone charged for ride-hailing apps.
Health & safety
The festival has a long record and runs with bag checks and security at the gates. Usual crowd precautions apply: keep phones and wallets in front pockets or zipped bags. Use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps, and turn down unlicensed drivers at the exits.