Two festivals are the main events for the jazz scene of Lisbon—Out Jazz Festival and Jazz in August (also known as Jazz em Agosto).
Out Jazz was established in 2007, and since then its format remains the same: the festival is a cycle of free weekend concerts that continue for almost five months from May to September. On every Sunday one of the capital's parks hosts a concert, and on the last Saturday of every month, Cascais receives its great free jazz event.
Various locations scattered all over the city are occupied for the festival—gardens, parks, beaches, and every month the venue is different. The scheme is simple: one location for May concerts, another for June concerts, and so on. Hence, it is crucial to follow the schedule as it is not that hard to confuse the dates and places, especially taking into account the fact that gatherings occur not only in Lisbon but also in Cascais.
Jazz in August is the second major event that attracts jazz admirers. It has a pretty impressive history as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has been organizing this event every year since 1984. The main goal of the festival is to detect and introduce new musicians and their new vision of jazz music. It does not mean that you won't hear any familiar themes or meet no famous artists; it means that you can plunge into the atmosphere of contemporary jazz.
This series of jazz concerts and jam sessions unites local and international artists that play jazz outdoors in three main locations around Lisbon—in Calouste Gulbenkian Garden, near the Center of Modern Art, and near the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum.
