Jazz festivals

Isle of Wight Jazz Weekend
Isle of Wight, England
16–20 September
Alan Barnes’ Reed-O-Rama, Liane Carroll Trio, Steve Waterman’s “Celebrating Miles” Octet, Matt Skelton’s “Blackhawk” Quintet, Bass to Face (Claire Martin & Laurence Cottle), Cameron Rossi Quartet and more.

Winchester Jazz Festival
Winchester, England
17–20 September
Marvin Muoneké’s Big Band, Tom Barford Quartet, Horns Up Front and more.

Limerick Jazz Festival
Limerick City, Ireland
23–27 September
Michael Buckley, Darren Beckett and others present A Love Supreme, Tom Ollendorff Trio feat. Will Vinson, Shadowlands, Zoe Gilby, Tommy Halferty Quartet, John Donegan Quintet, Arbenz Quartet, Matthew O’Connell, Tom Maxwell and more.
Concerts across Limerick including top venue Dolans – one of Ireland’s best for music – featuring leading Irish and international musicians.

Scarborough Jazz Festival
Scarborough, England
25–27 September
Barry Green’s Expansion: McCoy Tyner Project, Shirley Smart Sextet, David Newton Trio, Levitation Orchestra, Benet McLean Quintet, Brigitte Beraha with Alan Barnes & Barry Green, Xhosa Cole Quartet, Rory Ingham’s Trombone Assembly, Lady Nade Sings Nina Simone, Bryan Corbett presents The Instrumental Groove Unit, Alina Bzhezhinska’s HipHarpCollective featuring Tony Kofi, Ian Shaw & Liane Carroll, Alan Barnes + 11 and more.

Leyburn Jazz Festival
Yorkshire, England
15–18 October
Alexia Gardner Trio, Ben Shankland Trio, Will Barnes Quartet and more.

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival
Cork City, Ireland
23–26 October
The 2026 line up includes Berlioz, Annie Mac, Boney M, Masters at Work, Kokoroko, Courtney Pine, Keyon Harrold, Marcus Strickland, The Boomtown Rats, Yankari Afrobeat Collective, Trygve Seim and Tord Gustavsen.
Ireland’s largest jazz festival, drawing international artists and thousands of visitors to Cork each autumn.

Durham Jazz Festival
Durham, England
23–25 October
Jo Harrop Trio, Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, Seb Rochford’s Finding Ways, Pete Roth Trio feat. Bill Bruford, Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord, Maja Bugge & Dave Evans, Swannek, Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet, Rivkala, Durham University Jazz Society Evening, Eleonora Kouneni, Marvin Muoneké & Strictly Smokin’ Big Band, Knats, Dean Stockdale Quartet, Finn-Keeble Group, Janette Mason and more.

EFG London Jazz Festival
London, England
13–22 November
Samara Joy, Fatoumata Diawara, Coltrane 100 featuring Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Kronos Quartet, Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves Celebrate John Coltrane, Alfredo Rodríguez & Pedrito Martínez, Emma-Jean Thackray: Dear Miles – A Love Letter, Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes, Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra, GoGo Penguin, Fergus McCreadie, PREP, Emma Rawicz’s Cloudwalker, Rymden, The Meltdown and more.
The UK’s flagship jazz festival, presenting major international artists alongside the best of the British scene across venues throughout the capital.

Jo Harrop, pictured – top