Turku Sea Jazz begins – four days of jazz along the Aura River and in the archipelago

27.7.2026

Turku Sea Jazz Festival begins on Wednesday, 29 July and continues until Saturday, 1 August. This year, the four-day festival spreads across the maritime quarter of Forum Marinum, the banks of the Aura River, Ruissalo Boatyard and the island of Seili. The programme features international top artists, leading Finnish jazz musicians, concerts aboard museum ships, boat journeys and music experiences in different parts of Turku.

The international headliners of the sixth edition of Turku Sea Jazz will perform at Ruissalo Boatyard on Friday and Saturday. Friday evening opens with Maja Mannila Trio, featuring some of the finest musicians of the younger generation, followed by American pianist Joey Calderazzo with his trio. A leading figure on the international jazz scene, Calderazzo is known, among other things, for his long-standing collaborations with Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis. On Saturday, the Ruissalo Boatyard stage will feature Selma Savolainen in the shade, celebrating the release of her new album, followed by saxophonist Camilla George, one of the hottest names on the London jazz scene, with her band in the festival’s closing concert.

Audiences can travel to the evening concerts at Ruissalo Boatyard from central Turku or Forum Marinum accompanied by live music. The festival’s own Jazz Boats will feature young Turku-based jazz musicians Aleksi Hartelin, Eino Kostiainen and Daniel Sjöroos.

The Turku Sea Jazz programme also includes several concert experiences aboard Forum Marinum’s large museum ships and in its exhibition spaces. On Saturday, 1 August, Mexican-born guitarist Héctor Lepe and his quartet will perform aboard the 19th-century merchant ship Sigyn. After the concert, the audience will continue by riverboat Aurella to Ruissalo Boatyard, where a three-course Sea Jazz Dinner will be served at restaurant Tenlén. Surprise performances by museum musicians can be heard daily in Forum Marinum’s exhibition spaces from the morning onwards, while on Friday, 31 July, at 3.30 PM, Adele Sauros Quartet will perform aboard the museum ship Suomen Joutsen.

The festival programme also includes a concert trip to the island of Seili on Thursday, 30 July. Accordionist Harri Kuusijärvi will perform in Seili’s historic wooden church, while the garden of the main building will host POLYFREE, a new group led by free jazz master and guitarist Raoul Björkenheim.

On Wednesday, 29 July, Turku Sea Jazz will open with a free opening evening at Cathedral Park Terrace. The park stage by Turku Cathedral will feature guitarist Olli Soikkeli, one of the leading international names in jazz manouche, together with bassist Antti Lötjönen and drummer Teppo Mäkynen. During the concert break at 7 PM, John Nurminen Foundation will host a discussion exploring the shared 100-year history of the Baltic Sea and jazz and the sea routes that have connected them to and from Finland.

Turku Sea Jazz festival week already began on Monday with Jazz Camp for Girls. Organised in cooperation with Turku Conservatory and the Finnish Jazz Federation, the camp brings together 15 young people interested in playing in ensembles. They will learn about jazz and band activities under the guidance of trumpeter and music educator Jasmin Afaneh and Jussi Karhujoki, teacher of electric bass and pop & jazz bands at Turku Conservatory. The camp concludes with a free concert open to the public at Forum Marinum’s Boathouse on Thursday, 30 July, at 1 PM.

Turku Sea Jazz is part of the Archipelago Sea Jazz festival series, which also includes Baltic Jazz, Korpo Sea Jazz and Åland Sea Jazz. The festival series brings together jazz music and the unique environments of the archipelago. When purchasing festival tickets through Tiketti, visitors can also support the John Nurminen Foundation’s important work to protect the marine environment.

TURKU SEA JAZZ 29 JULY–1 AUGUST 2026 PROGRAMME

WEDNESDAY 29 JULY

Forum Marinum museum area (museum ticket required)
10 AM Museum Musician: Daniel Sjöroos
1 PM Museum Musician: Harri Kuusijärvi

Cathedral Park Terrace (free admission)
6 PM Olli Soikkeli NYC Trio
7 PM John Nurminen Foundation discussion: Sea Routes to Finland and from Finland to the World
8 PM Olli Soikkeli NYC Trio

THURSDAY 30 JULY

Seili Island
9.30 AM Ferry departs from Turku
12 PM Harri Kuusijärvi
2.30 PM Raoul Björkenheim POLYFREE
6.15 PM Arrival in Turku

Forum Marinum, Boathouse (free admission)
1 PM Jazz Camp for Girls – final concert
3 PM Aleksi Hartelin Quintet

FRIDAY 31 JULY

Forum Marinum museum area (museum ticket required)
10 AM Museum Musician: Toomas Keski-Säntti
1 PM Museum Musician: Johannes Granroth

Museum ship Suomen Joutsen (museum ticket required)
3.30 PM Adele Sauros Quartet

Jazz Boat to Ruissalo Boatyard (separate ticket via Tiketti):
5 PM M/S Aurella from the Pharmacy Museum pier – Jazz Boat musician Aleksi Hartelin
5 PM M/S Norrskär from the Forum Marinum pier – Jazz Boat musician Daniel Sjöroos
Return departures from Ruissalo after the concerts at approximately 10.30 PM.

Ruissalo Boatyard, Lindblom Hall
7 PM Maja Mannila Trio
9 PM Joey Calderazzo (USA)

SATURDAY 1 AUGUST

Forum Marinum museum area (museum ticket required)
10 AM Museum Musician: Max Zenger
1 PM Museum Musician: Eero Tikkanen

Museum ship Sigyn and restaurant Tenlén
2 PM Guided tour of Sigyn
2.30 PM Héctor Lepe Quartet
3.45 PM Transfer by riverboat Aurella to Ruissalo Boatyard
4.30 PM Three-course Sea Jazz Dinner at restaurant Tenlén
Return to Forum Marinum at 7.15 PM or 10.30 PM

Jazz Boat to Ruissalo Boatyard (separate ticket via Tiketti):
5 PM M/S Aurella from the Pharmacy Museum pier – Jazz Boat musician Eino Kostiainen
5 PM M/S Norrskär from the Forum Marinum pier – Jazz Boat musician Daniel Sjöroos
Return departures from Ruissalo after the concerts at approximately 10.30 PM.

Ruissalo Boatyard, Lindblom Hall
7 PM Selma Savolainen in the Shade
9 PM Camilla George (UK)

Tickets: tiketti.fi/turkuseajazz
More information: turkuseajazz.fi