More than 20,000 people attended the 2026 edition of the Jazz in the Park Festival, held June 5 - 7 in the Ethnographic Park of Cluj-Napoca.

'Jazz in the Park Festival 2026 ended after three days in which the 'Romulus Vuia' Ethnographic Park in Cluj once again became a space for encounters, discovery and music experienced in nature. The festival brought together over 20,000 participants across the three days, and around 1,400 passes have already been sold for the 2027 anniversary edition. Each festival day neared maximum capacity, and Saturday reached the self-imposed limit of 7,000 participants,' the organizers said on Monday in a statement.

According to the cited source, concerts by Vita de Vie and Implant pentru Refuz (Acoustic) drew large crowds from early in the day, creating a natural build-up into a true daytime festival with continuous energy from noon to evening.

Friday night delivered the first major musical moments, with performances by Rabih Abou-Khalil and Ghost-Note, as well as the start of Nik Bärtsch'S residency. One of the day's highlights was Marcos Valle's concert, which turned the hillside into a bossa-nova-spirited sunset.

'The second day continued with a vibrant atmosphere, as the audience moved between creative workshops, relaxation areas and live concerts. Dima Belinski & Friends, Vlad Dobrescu & The Jam Community and Kraak & Smaak took the stage, amplifying the energy in the Ethnographic Park, while Berti Barbera offered a concert full of musical stories and improvisation in an authentic dialogue with the audience. Saturday night closed with a performance by Lisa Simone, one of the festival's most anticipated moments,' the organizers added.

The final day of the 14th edition brought an emotional close, with moments of introspection, music and community. Yilian Cañizares, Venna and Arooj Aftab performed concerts that spanned the emotional spectrum of contemporary jazz.

Beyond the concerts, Jazz in the Park 2026 offered a range of activities that completed the audience experience - from creative and gastronomic workshops (pasta, plum dumplings, coffee, gin and whiskey) to wine, olive-oil and pálinka tastings. Participants could also explore the festival from new perspectives through hot-air-balloon rides, interactive installations and numerous relaxation and listening spaces.

'This year's edition was a maturity test for us, and we feel we've found the perfect formula. Musically, we had many concerts that exceeded expectations, we received a lot of praise for sound quality - which matters greatly to us - but perhaps the most important thing is the relationship we've consolidated with our audience. We have a special audience, and we feel people are part of the team and the story,' said Alin Vaida, founder of Jazz in the Park, as quoted in the statement.

Jazz in the Park holds the title of Europe's Best Small Festival at the European Festival Awards and is supported by the Cluj-Napoca City Hall and Local Council. The organizer is 'Fapte', an organization dedicated to developing people and communities through cultural events. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Marius Septimiu Avram; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)