Sounds of the Old City is an international music festival inspired by the neighborhoods and districts of the Old City where the cultural and tourist nightlife in Jerusalem serves as a platform and creates the opportunity for spectators to experience the musical traditions of the Old City at its best!
Festival visitors can immerse themselves in ancient music and are invited to enter through the Jaffa gate, travel near the walls, balconies, and hidden alleys in the Old City, which is filled with melodies and special sounds from various musical instruments, creating amazing live music.
The festival offers a unique musical experience like no other, in which the Old City is surrounded and immersed in authentic sounds and provides a magical late night experience for tens of thousands of visitors and tourists to enjoy. The festival will also give visitors a chance to be exposed to the rich culture and history of each neighborhood through the music that characterizes it and will also set the mood for a beautiful nightly stroll throughout the Old City.
Once a year the festival creates an exceptional opportunity for tens of thousands of visitors, guests and residents of the city to enjoy unique events, performances by well-known artists and dozens of ethnic ensembles playing musical styles from around the world in what is considered one of the most visited sites in Israel, The Old City of Jerusalem.
The festival features various musical ensembles, and begins with a circular route that stems from the Jaffa Gate Plaza, a Habonim Garden through the Armenian, Jewish and Muslim Quarters, and ends in the Christian Quarter up until the entrance to Jaffa Gate again. The festival is funded by the Jerusalem Development Authority, the Jerusalem Office of Heritage, the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Ministry of Tourism and is produced by The Ariel Municipal Company.
Featured Events at Sounds of the Old City 2019
Sounds of the Old City, now in its eighth year, features dozens of performances and activities throughout the Old City and its various sites. Musicians, singer-songwriters, live bands and ensembles will perform together on the main stages and side alleys, and share a magical late night experience under a starlight sky. In Habonim Garden (near the Western Wall), a central stage featuring live performances by the best artists in Israel every night. Among them are: The band Ethnix, who will host Zehava Ben, also on the bill is Avraham Tal, Liran Danino, Dudu Aharon who hosts Lina Mahol, Marina Maximilian, Liron Amram and the Panthers, Monica Sex, Shimon Buskila who will be hosting rising star; Narkis, Nurit Galron, and many others. At the Jaffa Gate Plaza visitors can enjoy a unique visual presentation that will be screened on an ancient building in a 360 format. The presentation will take you on a worldwide journey within Israeli music. In Gan Mishol Panim (a national park surrounding the walls), another large stage will be built to host a once in a lifetime musical experience with collectives of artists who will be collaborating for the first and possibly only time in the festival, including The Pirkat Al Noor, who will be collaborating with singer Ofer Levy, the Israeli Camerata Orchestra who will host singer Shlomi Shaban. East and West Orchestra will partner with Nasreen Kadari, and lastly, Hadag Nahash will be bringing in the Zionist hip-hop with the help of a monstrous horn section The main stage in Gan Hatkuma in the Jewish district will host live performances by Israel Haim, Aharon Razel, Mendigroupie, and Yishai Lapidot. Another performance, created especially for the festival, is the “Taklitiya” (the record shop) – a unique attraction consisting of a storefront displaying a huge record collection and library. Visitors are invited to take a stroll around the record shop display and locate the records that can be pulled out of the wall or shelves. A record that is pulled from the shelf will start playing through the speakers, giving visitors the opportunity to become the music editor of the record shop for a few minutes. Feeling like a snack? Taverna, which combines music and food will be located at Shderat Dekalim, the palm tree-lined avenue. A series of colorful food trucks will serve a variety of street food inspired by Greek and Mediterranean cuisine along with live performances of Greek and Middle Eastern music. In Zedekiahu's Cave, guests are required to purchase in advance for the April 3rd rock performance by Aviv Gefen and The Tauyot and on April 4th, singer Keren Peles, will perform an exciting live show of her well-known songs.Visit the Old City
To complete your Old City adventure, here are some recommended tours of the Old City and the area:- Segway Tour in the Old City with Smart Tour
- Experiential Segway Tour in the Alleyways of the Old City with ZUZU Tourism
- City of David & Underground Jerusalem - Walking Tour
- Old City of Jerusalem in Half a Day
- Get More Info about Tours in Jerusalem
Accommodations in Jerusalem
Visiting Jerusalem for the festival? Here are the best accommodation and lodging options that the city has to offer:
