An evening at the ViJazz Festival 2025 in Vilafranca del Penedès
Imagine arriving on a balmy summer afternoon in Vilafranca del Penedès, the capital of the Penedès wine region. This is where your visit to the 18th edition of ViJazz begins, held from July 4th to 6th, 2025. The city breathes celebration: historic streets, modernist facades, and medieval churches host a festival that seamlessly blends wine, jazz, and culture.
In the narrow streets of the old town, 27 wineries present a rich palette of DO Penedès wines and exclusive cavas. No fewer than 75,000 tastings will be served during the ViJazz weekend.
Wine & Taste – the tasting
Along the stalls, you'll sample surprising combinations—from local cheeses, sushi, and La Gall (the rooster) del Penedès, to Iberian ham and even canelons. At El Casal – Societat La Principal, the vibrant hub for tastings and tastings, you'll discover innovative audiovisual pairings: wine and cava combined with video art.
Music enriches everything
Every evening, the stately Plaça Jaume I transforms into a free open-air concert stage. Big names like Robben Ford & Chris Minh Doky Band opened the festival with a mix of blues, jazz, and funk. The hypnotic sounds of the Avishai Cohen Trio left a lasting impression, and the show closed with a performance by Joe Lovano & Marcin Wasilewski Trio. In addition, during the "Elles i el Jazz" program, female talents presented intimate concerts in the atmospheric Sant Francesc Monastery: the Marta Duran Quartet, the María Esteban Quintet, and Claudia Bardagí.
Young stars were also given a platform through the "New Talents" program, in the gardens of the Centre de Dia Jaume Nicolàs. Student groups such as the Pablo Frías Quartet, Lidia Garcia Quartet, and the Vicente Oliveira Sextet were also featured.
Art & atmosphere in the streets
The festival transcends music and wine. The streets feature photo exhibitions about the history of ViJazz, video art scenes in the Sant Joan Chapel, dance performances, and theatrical walks through the historic center. Each year, ViJazz offers a captivating cultural canvas where creativity and culture merge with wine and music.
Our Festival Experience
That afternoon, we stroll through the tent, glasses in hand, inhaling the aroma of wood smoke and grilled local sausage. Every sip reveals something of the terroir and the passion of the winemakers. Then we wander inside the Monastery, past flickering lights and plush chairs, and hear jazz talents weave their own melodies into the city. Outside, the magic of old streetlights, swinging music, and the rhythmic footsteps in the squares reigns.
Under the red sky of the setting sun, we savor every musical moment, from the soulful trumpets to the rhythmic throbbing drums. And as the last notes fade away in the streets of Vilafranca, we think: this is where it all fits, this is where the future of wine and jazz lives.
ViJazz in Vilafranca del Penedès is not a traditional jazz or wine festival: it's a cultural symphony where scents, flavors, sounds, and images combine to create an unforgettable experience. As visitors, we went home not only with empty glasses, but with full minds, heartwarming memories, and the promise that we will definitely return next year!
