From 6 to 8 June 2025, the Red Light Jazz Festival returns to Amsterdam's historic Red Light District, transforming its narrow alleys and storied corners into a vibrant stage for live jazz. The festival invites both locals and visitors to step beyond the city’s surface and listen deeply — to the music, the history, and the creative heartbeat that has long pulsed through this area.
Celebrating the City’s Musical Soul
The Red Light Jazz Festival began as a tribute to the cultural richness of Amsterdam’s most misunderstood neighbourhood. Beyond its reputation, the Red Light District has long been a gathering place for artists, musicians, and outsiders — people who brought stories, rhythm, and soul into the city.
Today, the festival honours that legacy by filling local bars, churches, courtyards, clubs, and intimate stages with jazz of every variety: modern, classic, experimental, and global. It’s a unique opportunity to explore both music and space in an entirely new way.
What to Expect
* Live jazz performances across over 20 venues in and around the Red Light District
* Free outdoor shows and ticketed evening concerts
* Talks, meet-the-artist sessions, and afterparties
* A rich mix of international talent and homegrown Dutch acts
* Intimate venues with close-up acoustics and one-of-a-kind atmosphere
If you're someone who connects with music on a visceral level — where every trumpet solo or walking bass line can shift your mood — this festival offers not just entertainment, but emotional resonance.
Festival Info
Dates: 6–8 June 2025
Venues: Throughout the Red Light District (De Wallen) and surrounding area
Tickets: Some events are free; others require advance booking
Website: https://redlightjazz.com (https://redlightjazz.com)
Tip: Come early to discover hidden venues and smaller sets before the main evening gigs
Expressing Your Rhythm: Piercings Works
Jazz is personal. So is self-expression. If the Red Light Jazz Festival leaves you feeling inspired to mark the moment, Piercings Works offers a completely different but equally artistic kind of experience.
Piercings Works isn’t just a studio — it’s a thoughtfully curated space where precision and creativity meet. Their team sees piercing not as a trend, but as an individual journey. Every client is treated with intention, and every design choice is about helping you feel more connected to yourself.
What sets them apart:
* Quiet, focused energy and deep respect for the process
* Carefully selected jewelry with aesthetic and ethical quality
* Consultations that help guide you to what feels right, not just what’s popular
* Holistic aftercare support and healing guidance
Much like jazz, a piercing can be both spontaneous and deeply structured. It can be bold or subtle, but it’s always a form of self-expression. And Piercings Works is one of the few studios that really treats it that way.
Located at Damrak 33, 1012 LK Amsterdam, Piercings Works is easy to reach by foot or tram from the Red Light District.
Online booking:https://www.piercingzetten.com/
Website: https://www.piercingsworks.com
Listen, Wander, Feel
The Red Light Jazz Festival is more than a music event — it’s an invitation to look more closely, listen more attentively, and feel more deeply. It shows you another side of Amsterdam, one that’s rich with history, intimacy, and sound.
And while you're following that rhythm, why not let it lead you to something lasting? Whether you're commemorating a trip, a shift, or just a moment that moved you, Piercings Works is a place to make it visible.