Jarasum Jazz Festival 2026: Oct 9–11 Dates, Ticket Prices, and How to Get There from Seoul

On Saturday afternoon, October 10, visitors spread out picnic mats and camping chairs on the lawn in front of the Jazz Island main stage on Jara Island in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, soaking up the autumn sun. It's day two of the 23rd Jarasum International Jazz Festival, and banners overhead carry the names of the evening's headliners: Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and Portuguese musician Bruno Pernadas.

At a glance: The festival runs for three days, October 9 (Fri) through October 11 (Sun), on and around Jara Island in Gapyeong. Tickets for the Jazz Island main stage cost 198,000 won for a three-day pass, 154,000 won for two days, and 88,000 won for a single day; elementary school children enter free and middle and high schoolers get a 50 percent discount. Tickets are sold through YES24. The free town stages — Party Stage at Jatgoeul Square, Jazz Street on Orinamu-gil, and Jazz Station at Music Station 1939 — run only on October 9 and 10. From Seoul, the ITX-Cheongchun train from Yongsan Station to Gapyeong Station takes about 55 to 65 minutes and costs 6,900 won for an adult general seat; on October 10 the line runs 26 trips, from 6:15 a.m. to 10:32 p.m.

Travelers getting off at Gapyeong Station today either walk roughly 15 to 20 minutes to the festival entrance or grab a taxi outside the station. Grammy-winning drummer Nate Smith opened the main stage on Friday, and today it's Alfredo Rodriguez and Bruno Pernadas' turn. This year's 23rd edition features 64 acts in total, with France as the festival's 'Focus Country' to mark 140 years of Korea-France diplomatic ties.

As night falls, the music moves into downtown Gapyeong. On the night of October 10, 'Midnight Jazz Cafe' sets are held at a Kumho Tire shop and at Gapyeong Terminal, letting visitors without a main-stage ticket catch a late show. One practical note: the ITX-Cheongchun doesn't accept transit cards, so a ticket must be booked in advance, and reserved seats are priced differently from standing-room tickets.

Coming up: The Jarasum International Jazz Festival closes on Sunday, October 11. Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan headlines the closing night, joined on stage by the Korean jazz band JSFA.