It’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival week, and we can’t wait to see what the amazing acts have in store for us.
Running from this Thursday, 22 October to Monday, 26 October, the festival will host some of the biggest names in international music. Festival headliners include Berlioz, Yussef Dayes, Masters At Work, Annie Mac, Boney M featuring Maizie Williams and KOKOROKO.
However, there are also plenty of free street-performance and public-events happening across Cork city and Kinsale this year, thanks to The Big Fringe.
Some of the most unforgettable moments of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival happen at The Big Fringe. Don’t miss your chance to experience some of these incredible performances and events first hand.
This series of free Fringe events will stretch the festival beyond its core and invite both locals and visitors to dive deeper into the celebration.
Acts playing at this year’s Fringe include the New York Brass Band, Hyde Park Brass Band, Code of Behaviour, TBL8 Brass, Lamarotte Brass Band, Brass Kings, Rebel Brass, Blarney Brass Band and Barrack Street Brass Band.
A number of events will take place within the community of Cork. Musicians and performers will visit care centres and schools around the city, bringing the jazz to you!
Fiona Collins, Chair of the Jazz Festival Committee, says The Fringe is an important aspect of the festival overall. “The Fringe started in 2005 when Cork was the European Capital of Culture. It was a way to extend the community part of the festival and to bring the festival to a wider audience. We have on-street events, school outreach and we also promote younger artists.”
Fiona says the Fringe is for any age, whether you’re four or 84. “People might go to the Free Stage or they could find a band on the street. One of my favourite parts of the festival is seeing kids come across a trombone or a sousaphone for the first time. They are amazed by it and they happily dance on the street. The musicians are also more than happy to explain to them what their instrument is.”
Fiona’s role in organising the Fringe is voluntary. For her, it’s about giving back to the city, and she loves the pop-up street performances that many bands will do. “The festival does so much for the city, from an economic perspective but also there’s a cultural element too. People are able to discover music and the atmosphere is electric. There’s a buzz, there’s something in the air over jazz weekend… people come for the jazz but they leave with the Cork experience too, we have an amazing city and there’s so much to celebrate about it.”
Live at the Library Events will take place at Cork City Public Library on Grand Parade. Some of the events include a talk from Ian Darrington, MBE, about world trends and development of jazz festivals around the world, on Wednesday 21st at 11am.
On Thursday 22nd at 12pm, step into the magical land of Oz for a fun-filled interactive music and storytelling event for children and families. Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, this enchanting experience brings Dorothy’s journey to life through music, song, movement, and imagination.
Enjoy a rendition of timeless jazz standards from Irish singer and songwriter Neasa on Thursday at 1pm. Equal parts vivid theatrical performer and absorbing passionate vocalist, Neasa’s jazz career included the 8-piece Cadillac and The Dukes of Jazz, as well as opening many Jazz Festivals at the Metropole and beyond.
From the 1940s, through to the present day, women in jazz have often been overlooked and pushed to the sidelines. Cork-based jazz vocalist Ivy Favier would like to take this opportunity to bring them into the spotlight, celebrating their stories, achievements, and impacts on the world of jazz. Her event takes place on Friday 23rd at 11am.
Later that afternoon at 2pm, enjoy some live music with the New York Brass Band. Blending jazz, funk, soul and popular favourites, they bring plenty of energy, infectious rhythms and a big brass sound.
On Friday evening from 6:30pm, Cork city centre will be treated to an evening of lively sound, as some of the best marching bands take to Oliver Plunkett Street for a special cacophony of music.
Across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Beat on the Street events will take place in the city centre. Enjoy happy jazz from some of the UK and Europe’s best marching bands as they play the streets. This year’s entertainment will be provided by the New York Brass Band, Hyde Park Brass Band, Lamarotte, Code of Behaviour, Tbl8 Brass Band, Rebel Brass Band and the Brass Kings.
This year, Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has changed the venue for their Free Stage, moving from to a new location at Elizabeth Fort on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th from 1pm-5pm. “Normaly we would have the live stage at Emmet Place, but that’s not possible because of the current building works.” Fiona explains. “We are going to Elizbeth Fort instead, which we are really excited about. The grounds will be fabulous to see, the surroundings are phenomenal, we can’t wait for the stage there.”
The open top jazz bus will be touring the city centre on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th with one of many bands on board. Give them a wave and say hello!
Enjoy a concert of light and popular music played by award winning Blarney Brass & Reed Band on Saturday 24th at 3:30 pm in Daunt’s Square.
St. Anne’s Church in Shandon will see an amazing jazz gospel service on Sunday 25th at 10:45am. This is a free event, but tickets are required for entry. Tickets are available from St. Anne’s, Shandon and the Jazz Committee. “It’s a lovely service to be at,” Fiona says. “I am particularly fond of it, it’s a thanksgiving service.”
Join the visiting European bands in a farewell gathering at Elizabeth Fort on Sunday 25th at 5pm. This great jam session will feature all the brass bands as they bid farewell to Cork and the festival for this year.
And of course the Jazz Festival Club will be in full swing at the Metropole Hotel on McCurtain Street all weekend.
Jazz by the Riverside, taking place in the River Lee Hotel’s Riverside Bar, will have live music by the New Brass Band on bank holiday Monday, with more performances across the weekend.
This Is Cork Tours have designed a bespoke walking tour which uses the creation of Cork’s Jazz Festival in 1978 as its starting point, and charts the development of both the city and the festival over nearly 50 years. Booking advised via Eventbrite as places are limited. There is a fee for the walk and it will take one and a half hours at a gentle pace.
The Goldiefish Festival Market will be a vibrant celebration of local creativity and flavour. This curated market, taking place on Saturday and Sunday from 11am-6pm, brings together a diverse mix of artisan makers, craft producers and the best of Cork food stalls, offering everything from handmade gifts, freshly prepared street food and indulgent sweet treats.
Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026 takes place this weekend, kicking off on Thursday and running until Bank Holiday Monday.
Tickets are on sale at guinnesscorkjazzfestival.com.
For more, follow @guinnesscorkjazz on social media and hashtag #GuinnessCorkJazz.
The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is supported by Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork Airport. Visit drinkaware.ie.
The programme of Fringe events presented at the festival would not be possible without the generous support of Guinness, Failte Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork Airport and local businesses.
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