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DRESDEN JAZZ WALK

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The world’s largest and oldest festival for traditional jazz

The history of the

INTERNATIONAL DIXIELAND FESTIVAL Dresden

Five chapters tell the story of how an idea in 1971 grew into one of Europe’s best-known jazz festivals.

The history of the INTERNATIONAL DIXIELAND FESTIVAL Dresden is closely intertwined with the city, its audience, and countless musicians from all over the world. This series traces the journey from the early days in the Kulturpalast through the great years of the parade and the TONNE to the present day of the festival.

The five chapters of the festival’s history

"Open-air gala" at the "Junge Garde" open-air stage

Part 1 – The years 1971 to 1980

From the premiere in the Kulturpalast to the major jubilee: the early years tell of new beginnings, international acclaim, and Dresden’s path to becoming the “capital of Dixieland”.
Part 1 – The years 1971 to 1980
Staircase jazz at the Tonne jazz club

Part 2 – The years 1981 to 1990

The festival continues to grow, the TONNE becomes legendary, Staircase Jazz turns iconic – and by the end of the decade, a time of change begins.
Part 2 – The years 1981 to 1990
René and Oliver Franc at the Dixieland Festival

Part 3 – The years 1991 to 2000

New conditions, new paths, new perspectives: the 1990s show how the festival asserted its place in a changing world.
Part 3 – The years 1991 to 2000
Lamarotte (NL) on the Königsufer

Part 4 – The years 2001 to 2010

The festival keeps moving forward, preserves its tradition, and continues writing its story with renewed confidence.
Part 4 – The years 2001 to 2010
"Jazz Gala" at the Semperoper

Part 5 – The years 2011 to 2022

From a look back to the very latest present: this chapter carries the festival’s history into a time in which tradition and the future are closely intertwined.
Part 5 – The years 2011 to 2022