Manchester Jazz Festival

Manchester Jazz Festival brings the best new emerging jazz artists, homegrown talent, and living jazz legends to the city centre every May for ten days of live performances, many of which are free.

It’s the city’s longest-running music festival (the first one was held back in 1996, and had to be delayed a few months because of the IRA bomb). It’s also one of its most visible and accessible, with performances taking place in public spaces, bars, and music venues across the city centre. You can catch shows at Band on the Wall, St Ann’s Church, The Blues Kitchen, Stoller Hall, The Yard, Forsyth Music Shop, Matt & Phred’s, and First Street.

Manchester Jazz Festival 2023

This year’s festival runs from 19-28 May 2023. Highlights include Hot 8 Brass Band, Buena Vista Social Club’s Eliades Ochoa, Mica Millar, Billy Cobham, Arun Ghosh, Fred Wesley and the New J.B.’s, Yemi Bolatiwa and many more.

It kicks off with a free opening weekender at First Street (19-21 May) where there’ll be three event stages celebrating the breadth and individuality of bands from, or with a strong connection to, the North. There are weekday gigs at St Ann’s Church, nightly gigs at Matt & Phreds, and events at Forsyth Music Shop, The Blue’s Kitchen, and The Yard with partners NQ Jazz, before the festival closes with an extended weekend-long party at Band on the Wall.

Tickets range from free to £35. Go to Manchester Jazz Festival 2023 to see the full festival line-up.