Swanage Jazz Festival

🗓️ Friday 12th – Sunday 14th July 2024

Swanage’s annual jazz festival is a firm favourite in the town’s busy events calendar, returning each year with over 40 bands performing live across three days.

From free fringe outdoor concerts and performances in local pubs & hotels, to main ticketed events at venues including Swanage’s Mowlem Theatre, the town comes alive with the sound of jazz.

  • Sax and keyboard player from Not Just Sax at Swanage's Jazz Festival
  • Phoenix Rock N Roll at Swanage Jazz Festival
  • Soldoro Band saxophonist & bassist
  • Arun Ghosh playing the clarinet

Typically, there are daytime and evening performances from both local and national musicians, with a parade along Shore Road on the Saturday and a grand festival finale on the Sunday.

Line-up for 2024

There are over 50 bands lined up for this year, including:

  • Liane Carroll Trio
  • Emma Rawicz Jazz Orchestra
  • Clark Tracey Quintet
  • Art Themen Organ Quintet
  • The Wonder of Stevie with Deresk Nash and Noel McCalla
  • Gary Crosby Sextet ‘Mingus Moves’
  • Ian Shaw & Tony Kofi’s Tribute to Billy Strayhorn
  • Dave Newton & Alan Barnes
  • Zoe Rahman’s Colour of Sound Octet
  • Marianne Windham’s Jazz Samba Project
  • Five Way Split
  • The Printmakers with Norma Winstone & Nikki Iles
  • Henry Lowther’s Still Waters
  • Henry Spencer Band
  • Brandon Allen Groove Band
  • Jivin’ Miss Daisy
  • Martin Litton’s Red Hot Peppers
  • Forest Hill Owls
  • Digby Fairweather’s Half Dozen
  • The TJ Johnson Band with Alex Clarke
  • The Gin Bowlers
  • Songs of 1924 with Janice Day & Martin Litton
  • John Maddocks Jazzmen
  • The Vintage Jazz Collective

You can view or download the full Festival Programme, with venues and timings, online: https://swanagejazzfestival.co.uk

The Festival also features a Festival Fringe with loads more great bands to see completely free:

Swanage Jazz Festival Fringe poster
Arun Ghosh and his band on stage at The Mowlem Theatre
Audience in the Swanage Jazz Festival marquee
Sax and keyboard player from Not Just Sax at Swanage's Jazz Festival
James Emmet's Ragtime Revellers performing on Swanage prom
Hattie Brown's Beer tent
The Nigel Price & Alessio Menconi Quartet

Ticket information

  • Weekend stroller – ÂŁ140
  • Day stroller – ÂŁ43/ÂŁ82
  • (10% Residents’ discount for BH19 postcodes – available from Swanage TIC)

Tickets for 2024 are now on sale via the Swanage Jazz Festival website: swanagejazzfestival.co.uk/tickets/

Volunteer – and visit for free

Volunteers are always welcome at Swanage Jazz Festival, with the excellent added bonus of enjoying free entry to all venues, capacity allowing.

Volunteer steward t-shirt at Swanage Jazz Festival

Duties are straightforward, with no experience necessary – you simply need to be a presence on the door and check wristbands.

Volunteering at the jazz festival’s a social affair, so expect to meet some great new people and enjoy an end-of-festival BBQ to round the weekend off.

Find further information including contact details visit the festival’s volunteering page: swanagejazzfestival.co.uk/volunteers/

Swanage Jazz Festival collection bucket