# Jazzablanca

Launched in 2006, Jazzablanca is Casablanca's festival of jazz and contemporary music: ten days of concerts at Anfa Park, a stage devoted to contemporary jazz and free concerts in the city. The 20th edition runs from 1 to 10 July 2027.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/jazzablanca/

## Twenty years of jazz, and much more

Jazzablanca began in April 2006 at the Megarama in Casablanca, with Lucky Peterson, Al Jarreau, Billy Paul and Dianne Reeves on the bill. The festival then moved outdoors, to the Casa-Anfa racecourse from 2012 to 2019, and to Anfa Park since 2022, with a capacity of 8,000 people against 2,500 before. Since 2025 it has run over ten days.

Jazz remains the backbone, but the programme also takes in pop, soul, rock, funk and world music. Black Eyed Peas, Seal, Ben Harper, Gilberto Gil, Melody Gardot, Marcus Miller, Ibrahim Maalouf and Anouar Brahem have all played here. The 19th edition, from 2 to 11 July 2026, drew nearly 100,000 festival-goers for Robbie Williams, Scorpions, Mika, Lauryn Hill and Jorja Smith, among others.

The 20th edition, from 1 to 10 July 2027, will mark the festival's twentieth anniversary; its line-up has not yet been announced.

## Three ways to enjoy the festival

- **Anfa Park, the main site.** The big nights take place on the main stage, with a festival village, food areas and chill-out zones. In 2026, each evening featured four concerts, split between the main stage and Scène 21.
- **Scène 21, for today's jazz.** It is devoted to contemporary jazz: in 2026, Hiromi, Shabaka, José James and Keziah Jones. This is the stage for jazz lovers.
- **Free concerts in town.** Since 2013, Jazzablanca has run a free stage in public space, for many years on Place des Nations-Unies. In 2026, free concerts were held every evening in the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, a large garden in the city centre, and a brass band toured the streets.

## Coming to Casablanca for the festival

**The climate** is July's big advantage. The ocean keeps the city mild: according to the 1991-2020 normals of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the average July high at Casablanca-Anfa is 26.1 °C, far from the heat of inland Morocco.

**Where to stay.** In Sabaro's selection, the Royal Mansour Casablanca, between the port and the old medina, and Hôtel Le Doge, a sixteen-room Art Deco house, are in the city centre, like the Parc de la Ligue Arabe and its free concerts. Le Casablanca Hotel is in the residential district of Anfa, five minutes from the Corniche. For the Anfa Park evenings, Sabaro recommends booking a car with driver for the late return.

**What to combine.** One or two days are enough for the city: the Hassan II Mosque in the morning, the old medina and the Art Deco walk in the afternoon, then the festival in the evening. The Al Boraq TGV (high-speed train) links Casablanca to Tangier in 2 h 17, stopping in Rabat; Sabaro's "Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier by Al Boraq high-speed train, 6 days" itinerary can be timed around the festival. El Jadida and the Portuguese city of Mazagan are 1 h 25 away by road.

## Frequently asked questions

### When is Jazzablanca in 2027?

From 1 to 10 July 2027, for the 20th edition, according to the festival's official site.

### Where does the festival take place?

At Anfa Park in Casablanca for the ticketed concerts on the main stage and Scène 21, and in the city centre for the free concerts, held in the Parc de la Ligue Arabe in 2026.

### Are there free concerts?

Yes. Since 2013, the festival has run a free stage in town; in 2026, free concerts were held every evening in the Parc de la Ligue Arabe.

### Is Jazzablanca only a jazz festival?

No: Scène 21 is devoted to contemporary jazz, but the main stage also hosts pop, soul, rock, funk and world music.