The Koktebel Jazz Festival is a jazz and world music festival in Ukraine. Until 2013, it used to take place annually in second week of September in Koktebel on the Black Sea coast. In 2014 it was held in Zatoka and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (both in Odesa Oblast).

About the festival

Koktebel Jazz Festival (KJF) kicked off in 2003 as an attempt to revive Koktebel's status as the cultural center of the region, back at its days famous all over the country. Since 2006, the festival is held in the second half of September, during so-called "velvet" resort season. Despite its young age, the festival has already hosted performances by De-Phazz, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Nino Katamadze, Us3 and others. Beside well-known names, organizers consider small and young bands. In 2008, festival community was launched, where anyone can file an application for participation. The best performers chosen by users voting will take part in the upcoming festival. The festival consists of two main stages, which host the festival program, additional stages and numerous jam-sessions. The main stages do not have any entrance fees and are located at the square right near the water, so that the public can sit on the beach during the performance. In 2014, the festival was not held in Crimea, but in Zatoka and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (both in Odesa Oblast).

History

2003

Participants:

2004

July 15–18 Participants:

2005

August 15–21 Participants:

2006

September 14–17 Participants:

2007

September 21–23 Notable participants:

2008

September 19–21 Notable participants:

2009

September 10–13 Notable participants:

2010

September 9–12 Notable participants:

2011

September 15–18 Notable participants:

2012

August 29 - September 2 Notable participants:

2013

September 12–15 Notable participants:

2014

September 12–15 Notable participants:

2020

August 21–23 Participants: