As part of Buxton International Festival's return with another summer of world class performances, the Festival is delighted to welcome back the ever popular Jazz Weekender for 2026, curated by new Jazz Director, Wesley Stephenson.

Now firmly established as one of the most anticipated parts of the jazz programme, this special package offers audiences the chance to immerse themselves in an entire weekend of exceptional live music at an unbeatable price. One weekend ticket provides access to 12 gigs across the opening weekend, making it one of the best value ways to experience the Festival's vibrant offering. Day passes are also available.

"Jazz Weekender is all about bringing people right up close to the music. Twelve gigs across one weekend, intimate spaces and some of the UK's most exciting musicians coming together. It's a brilliant way to discover new sounds, revisit the classics, and feel the real energy of live jazz."

Wesley Stephenson

Across the weekend audiences will step into the intimate atmosphere of the Festival's own jazz club at The Palace Hotel, right in the heart of Buxton. It is a setting that brings listeners incredibly close to the music, creating the kind of energy and connection that jazz thrives on. The programme features 11 performances in this dedicated jazz space, with one special event taking place in Buxton Opera House. Whether a long time jazz enthusiast or someone curious to explore the genre, the Weekender offers space to discover new sounds, revisit classics, and encounter some of the UK's most exciting musicians up close.

Now in its fifth year, the jazz programme continues to evolve, bringing together artists whose styles range from soulful and reflective to bold, inventive, and rhythmically electric. The Jazz Weekender programme is shaped by world class musicianship, improvisation, storytelling, and that unmistakable sense of spontaneity that only live jazz can deliver.

Whether joining for a single day or settling in for the full weekend, audiences will find an atmosphere filled with warmth, creativity, and the buzzing joy of live performance. It is a chance to hear music that moves, surprises, and celebrates the breadth of the UK jazz scene, all in a unique Buxton setting.

This year's weekender features an impressive collection of artists and ensembles.

Palace Hotel: Thu 9 Jul

Laura Jurd - Rites and Revelations
Doors 6pm / Performance 6.30pm - 8.15pm

Denys Baptiste / Tony Kofi - Quintet (Cannonball / Coltrane)
Doors 8.30pm / Performance 9pm - 10.45pm / Curfew 11pm

Palace Hotel: Fri 10 Jul

Andrew McCormack Trio
Doors 11.30am / Performance 12pm - 1.45pm

Zoë Gilby with Andy Champion (The Music of Duke Ellington) + Johnny Hunter Trio featuring Nat Birchall (The Music of Elvin Jones
Doors 2pm / Performances 2.30pm - 4.45pm

Mario Bakuna Band
Doors 7.30pm / Performance 8pm - 9.15pm

Josephine Davies - Satori Quartet featuring Alcyona Mick
Doors 9.45pm / Performance 10.15pm / Curfew 12am

Palace Hotel: Sat 11 Jul

Noa Levy, Alan Barnes and The Paul Edis Trio (Portrait in Evans)
Doors 12.30pm / Performance 1pm - 2.45pm

Alina Bzhezhinska HipHarpCollective Quintet
Doors 6.30pm / Performance 7pm - 8.45pm

Darius Brubeck Quartet
Doors 9.30pm / Performance 10pm / Curfew 12am

Palace Hotel: Sun 12 Jul

Fraser Fifield - Secret Path Trio + Olivia Moore and Adam Fairhall
Doors 12.30pm / Performance 1pm - 3pm

Arun Ghosh Quintet
Doors 3.30pm / Performance 4pm - 5.45pm

Buxton Opera House: Sun 12 Jul

Courtney Pine - Modern Day Jazz Story
Doors 8.30pm / Performance 9pm / Set Length and Curfew TBC