'A brilliant celebration of Lancashire talent'- Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival returns this weekend
Excitement is building for the highlighy anticipated Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival as it is just days away.
Preston will once again come alive with the music as the Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival returns this weekend.
What can we expect from the festival?
From Sunday, May 17 to Saturday, June 6, Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival will bringan ambitious programme of over 50 events across 25 locations throughout the city.
This year’s festival combines internationally acclaimed artists with a strong spotlight on Lancashire’s home-grown talent, celebrating the depth and diversity of the region’s music scene.
Audiences can expect a mix of live performances, participatory creative workshops and a transformation of Preston’s public spaces into lively hubs of music.
On Saturday, May 30, the city centre will host a celebration of music-making, animating key Preston locations including The Flag Market, The Harris, Preston Markets and Winckley Square with a series of pop-up performances and activities.
The day begins at 11am in The Harris, followed by Tune In, a mini-festival curated to showcase some of Lancashire’s most exciting emerging alternative acts, just outside from 12pm on The Flag Market.
Meanwhile, Winckley Square will host the annual Young Jazz on the Square, featuring the Lancashire Schools Jazz Orchestra, with performances from Blue Moose Dance.
The event will also welcome special guests, renowned guitarist Phil Hilborne and his son, future guitar legend George Hilborne.
The festival will culminate on Saturday, June 6 with Lancashire Sounds on the Square, a free open-air finale in Winckley Square celebrating some of the region’s finest musical talent.
With its grassroots creativity, the Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival invites residents and visitors alike to experience the city through music.
What has been said about the festival?
Tony Rigg, Director of Preston Jazz and Improvisation Festival said: “Preston Jazz Festival is about bringing people together through music and celebrating the incredible creativity that exists across Preston and Lancashire. The programme is shaped and co-created with local partners, artists, venues and communities. We have some world-class talent coming in from further afield, but we also have our own amazing home-grown talent - including young people, emerging and established artists - who will be front and centre this year. Whilst it may be a jazz festival by name, it is much broader in spirit: it's a festival of music and culture with something for everyone,
“Thanks to support from Arts Council England and our collaborators Preston City Council and the University of Lancashire, all festival events are free to attend. With over 50 activities taking place across parks, venues, public spaces and cultural locations, community is at the heart of the festival. Places with more music, culture and shared creative experiences are better places to live.”
Councillor Anna Hindle Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said: “This year’s festival is a brilliant celebration of both world-class artists and the outstanding talent we have here in Lancashire. It’s great to see our city spaces brought to life with music that everyone can enjoy.”