All you need to know about the 45th Guinness Cork Jazz Fest

The 2023 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will come to town from the 26th to the 30th of October

Bringing bold beats and sensational sounds to the city each year, this year’s festival will
certainly be no different!

With an impressive line up and great variety of events taking place over the bank holiday weekend, the 45th year of the Cork Jazz Fest will be sure to have something for everyone.

Ticketed events:

Macy Gray will be headlining this years Jazz (image via Blackpast)

This year’s line up features the likes of Macy Gray, Morcheeba, Corinne Bailey Rae presenting Black Rainbows, The Pharcyde, and Souls of Mischief. Other performers include The Scratch, Jenny Greene, Mack Fleetwood, 1000 Beasts, The Academic, and plenty more.

The gigs will take place in many of Cork’s iconic locations, such as The Everyman and The Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street, Cork Opera House on Emmet Place, Live at St. Luke’s, St. Peter’s Church, Cyprus Avenue, Triskel Arts Centre, and Cork City Hall.

The full list of ticketed events can be found here, and be sure to keep an eye out – and an ear open – for jazz on the streets of Cork city during the festival, too!

Free events:

Cork jazz
Jazz on the Street (image via Andy Gibson)

In addition to the gigs, the Jazz Festival has planned The Big Fringe – a series of free events
that will take place in the city throughout the festival.

These events will feature New York Brass, Hyde Park Brass Band, Code of Behaviour, Blarney Brass Band, and more. The Big Fringe aims at getting both locals and visitors involved in the Jazz Festival. Here are some of the events they’ve got lined up:

  • Live at the Library – Music Library will host 3 events: “Discovering Japanese Jazz”;
    “How brass instruments work”; and “Live Brass Music”
  • Oliver Plunkett Street Stroll
  • Jazz in Elizabeth Fort
  • Beat on the Street – some of Europe’s best marching bands will be bringing the city’s
    streets to life
  • Jazz Bus – an open top jazz bus which will be going around the city centre on Friday,
    Saturday, and Sunday with a jazz band on board!

Cork Heritage Pub Jazz Trail:

the Pav
The Pav will be one of the main venues to catch the Jazz at Cork Heritage Pubs

If you didn’t manage to get tickets to any of the paid gigs but you still want that jazzy pub atmosphere, Cork Heritage Pubs has got you covered.

The beloved pub group has just released a handy list of free jazz gigs across their venues such as The Pav, Crane Lane, Bodega, Canty’s and more. They’ll be hosting a series of gigs over the weekend across the following venues:

  • The Pav and Intermission
  • Crane Lane Theatre
  • The Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega
  • Canty’s
  • The Poor Relation
  • Sin É
  • The Vicarstown

Be sure to wear your comfortable shoes because it’s gonna be a busy weekend of jazzy
festivities! Check out the Guinness Cork Jazz website here for more info. It’s time to get jazzy!

Latest Articles

Related Articles