The heart of Baku's September falls in the last ten days of the month: the Formula 1 race weekend and concerts by global stars run almost back to back. The dates overlap tightly, so a single trip can cover several of them at once. Here are the five main events, sorted by date, to make it easier to plan the trip and buy tickets in time.
Calvin Harris
📍 Baku Crystal Hall · 📅 24 September
Scotland's Calvin Harris, one of the highest paid DJs on the planet, opens race week with a set at Crystal Hall. His catalogue holds dozens of hits, and a live set usually features "Feel So Close", "Summer", "This Is What You Came For" and "One Kiss". A big stage, heavy sound and stadium level lighting.
The date is well chosen: it is the first day of the Formula 1 weekend, when guests from all over the world are already arriving in Baku. Crystal Hall sits right on the Caspian shore next to the circuit, so the evening pairs naturally with the racing programme.
Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026
📍 Baku City Circuit · 📅 24-26 September
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs on the Baku City Circuit, a street track that follows the seaside boulevard, passes the Flame Towers and threads through the narrow lanes of the Old City. It is one of the fastest street circuits on the calendar, with a long straight by the sea and tight corners in Icherisheher. Friday is given over to free practice, Saturday to qualifying, and the race itself takes place on Sunday.
Beyond the track, the City Circuit hosts fan zones, markets and evening concerts, so a ticket covers not just a grandstand but entertainment across all three days. It is the busiest weekend of the month: accommodation near the track is booked months ahead, and parts of the city centre are closed during the race, so plan the logistics early.
Katy Perry
📍 Baku Crystal Hall · 📅 25 September
Katy Perry performs at Baku Crystal Hall right in the middle of the race weekend. The show is built around her biggest hits, among them "Roar", "Firework", "California Gurls" and "Dark Horse", plus material from her latest album. A full pop production with costumes, staging and choreography, not a singer over a backing track.
Crystal Hall holds thousands, but for an artist of this level the hall fills fast. With Formula 1 on the same weekend, demand for tickets and rooms in the city will peak, so it is worth booking everything well in advance.
Mahmut Orhan
📍 FOMO Baku · 📅 26 September
Turkish DJ and producer Mahmut Orhan, the man behind "Feel", "Save Me" and "Schwarz", plays at the FOMO club on race day evening. His signature is melodic deep house with eastern motifs that sits well over a Baku night by the sea. A good way to close out race Sunday on the dance floor rather than in a hotel room.
Club sets usually start late at night and run until morning, so expect a sleepless one. Tables and entry are best booked ahead, especially for a date in the thick of the Formula 1 weekend.
Nuri & Jane
📍 Heydar Aliyev Palace · 📅 28-30 September
Nuri & Jane close out the musical September with three nights in a row at the Heydar Aliyev Palace. It is one of the most prestigious concert venues in the country, in the city centre, with classical acoustics and a hall for a few hundred people.
Three nights back to back speak for themselves: tickets for a single evening go quickly, and the small hall gives a sense of closeness to the stage. A calm finish to a packed month after the race weekend.
