HAPPENING 25 June to 12 July 2026 | North Sea Round Town returns to Rotterdam with more than 375 concerts across more than 175 locations. The citywide fringe festival of NN North Sea Jazz brings jazz, soul, funk, improvised music, electronic sounds, hip-hop, R&B and pop to theatres, parks, cafés, stations, terraces and unexpected corners of the city.
North Sea Round Town returns in 2026
North Sea Round Town is back from Thursday 25 June to Sunday 12 July 2026, filling Rotterdam with three weeks of live music before and during NN North Sea Jazz Festival. This year has extra weight: NN North Sea Jazz celebrates its 50th edition at Rotterdam Ahoy from 10 to 12 July 2026.
Across the city, North Sea Round Town will present more than 375 concerts at more than 175 locations. Some events are ticketed, many are free, and part of the fun is that you may run into live music where you least expect it.
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Chaerin Im is Artist in Focus 2026
The 2026 Artist in Focus is Chaerin Im, the pianist, composer and bandleader whose work moves between contemporary jazz, electronics, indie and club music.
Her central project is Phase Shift: A Sonic Collision of Seoul and Rotterdam, premiering on Thursday 2 July 2026. The work marks a deliberate move from her jazz piano roots and Korean classical background towards a darker, synth-driven sound shaped by Rotterdam’s underground scene.
Her wider Artist in Focus route includes performances and projects at venues and platforms across the city. Highlights include Neon River at WORM, a trio concert at Batavierhuis with Alessandro Fongaro, and Midnight Resets at Fenix in collaboration with Pocha Rotterdam, where Korean food culture, city-pop DJ sets and live music come together.
Chaerin Im is Artist in Focus 2026. Photo: Mooeul Kim
Jèryh Luz leads Femme in Focus 2026
This year’s Rotterdamse Femme in Focus is Jèryh Luz. From a residency at Boerderij Driebergen, she is developing new repertoire that moves through jazz, neo-soul, fusion and personal storytelling.
Her Femme in Focus project premieres on Saturday 27 June 2026. After that, you can catch her in several settings across Rotterdam, from terraces in the city centre to Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam Centraal and Rotterdam South, including an appearance at Dunya Festival in Zuiderpark on Sunday 5 July.
Opening night: RUNA BECOMES SUN
The festival opens on Thursday 25 June 2026 with RUNA BECOMES SUN, a new work by AWICHAS from Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti. Created especially for the opening night, the performance builds through sound, rhythm and light, setting a slower, more sensory tone before the festival spills out across the city.
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Hoek van Holland by Bike
On Sunday 28 June 2026, North Sea Round Town heads towards the coast with Hoek van Holland by Bike. You follow a guided cycling route with live music along the way, discovering a different side of Hoek van Holland beyond the beach. The route ends at Pele Surf Shack, where visitors can add food and drinks to the seaside finish.
Jazzhaven in Historic Delfshaven
On Saturday 4 July 2026, Jazzhaven turns Historic Delfshaven into a musical route along the water. The programme moves between indoor spaces and terraces, with Rotterdam musicians performing in changing line-ups and intimate settings. The event is free to attend.
De Grootste Stoelendans op Livemuziek (musical chairs)
On Wednesday 8 July 2026, De Grootste Stoelendans op Livemuziek comes to Afrikaanderpark on Rotterdam South. Expect 1,000 chairs, live music and a playful family event where only one person can win. Entry is free, but visitors are asked to reserve tickets.
Jazz op de Meent
On Thursday 9 July 2026, the evening before NN North Sea Jazz begins, Jazz op de Meent brings live music to terraces, shops and boutiques. The event marks the 50th edition of North Sea Jazz with 50 concerts across around 25 locations. Many shops are expected to stay open later, turning the Meent into a walking route of music, terraces and city-centre buzz.
Closing weekend: music across the city
From Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July 2026, North Sea Round Town spreads through Rotterdam during the NN North Sea Jazz weekend. Rotterdam Centraal will host a large stage for three days, while Jazz Rotterdam Centrum brings musicians to streets and shopping areas from the Lijnbaan to the Koopgoot.
There will also be music on the move, with RET Melodies bringing live performances into the metro between Rotterdam Centraal and Zuidplein. Near Ahoy, at Annie M.G. Schmidtplein, another stage will welcome visitors on the way to the main festival.
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Tickets and free events
North Sea Round Town mixes ticketed concerts with free events. Early bird tickets for selected 2026 productions are already on sale through the festival’s ticketing platform. Many city events, including Jazzhaven, Jazz op de Meent and parts of the closing weekend programme, are free to attend.
Keep checking the official North Sea Round Town wesbite as more concerts, venues and times are added in the run-up to the festival.
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