[dropcap]T[dropcap]he Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is set to fill the city with sound this bank holiday weekend from October 22th to 25th.
This news will be music to jazz lovers ears as the 2020 dates for the festival had previously been cancelled in line with the Governments Covid-19 guidelines.
The four day event will host street entertainment and a number of live events across 80 venues in the city including the Cork Opera House.
Although fantastic to jazz musicians and fans alike the event offers hope to the wider music community.
Speaking about the upcoming event, Rory Sheridan, Head of Partnerships, Diageo Ireland said: “This will be the first major festival in Ireland since the pandemic to take place, which is a significant milestone not only for musicians and the events industry who have been one of hardest hit industries, but also for festival goers who have been waiting for some good news.”
The boost to the local economy is already evident as hotels around the Leeside are quickly being booked up.
The hugely popular weekend will be the first time in over 556 days that bars, restaurants, and cafes will be able to open into the early hours, perfect for the over 40,000 visitors it is known to attract.
Not only are the options to wine and dine plentiful, the artist lineup has a diverse range of sounds and genres for every listener.
For someone seeking out a more classic sound look no further than Matthew Halsall, the man at the front of the jazz revival in Britain in recent years.
If you are seeking to move away from the more traditional, there are a number of hip hop and electronic dance music acts too such as Yasiin Bey and King Kong Company.
There is something for everybody.
Fiona Collins, Chairperson of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, added: “We are delighted to bring the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival back to the City this year – we’re working through the programming and are excited to bring much loved performances, as well as emerging local talent, to the streets and venues of Cork this bank holiday weekend.”
Anna Martin
Image Credit: Guinness Jazz Festival