Free Jazz Takes Over Cork Streets During Big Fringe Festival
Free jazz fills Cork streets next weekend as Big Fringe transforms the city during the October Bank Holiday festival from 23rd to 27th October.
Cork City will transform into an open-air jazz stage next weekend as The Big Fringe returns to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival over the October Bank Holiday Weekend, offering music lovers free performances across the city from 23rd to 27th October.
Organised by the Cork Jazz Festival Committee, The Big Fringe brings spontaneous street performances, jam sessions and marching brass bands to Cork's streets, creating the festival atmosphere that draws thousands to the city each year.
The weekend kicks off with the Oliver Plunkett Street Stroll on Friday 24th October from 6:30pm. Music fans can stroll from Grand Parade down Oliver Plunkett Street, onto Maylor Street and Caroline Street whilst listening to national and international brass and marching bands.
Throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Beat on the Street will see impromptu performances from some of the UK and Europe's best marching bands, including New York Brass Band, Hyde Park Brass Band, Lamarotte, Code of Behaviour, Tbl8 Brass Band, Rebel Brass Band and the Brass Kings.
The Super Dome Jazz Stage on Opera House Plaza at Emmett Place will host live music throughout Saturday and Sunday afternoons, whilst the new Jazz Market on St Patrick's Street runs from 11am to 7pm on both days, offering local produce alongside the musical entertainment.
Cork City Library's Rory Gallagher Music Library presents the Live at the Library series throughout the week, featuring An Introduction to the Jazz Orchestra, Women in Jazz with vocalist Ivy Favier and guitarist Simone Cooke, and live brass sessions.
The popular Big Jazz Bus returns for its rolling jazz experience from Friday to Sunday, with live performances atop the bus as it makes its way through city streets.
Sunday morning offers something special at St Anne's Church in Shandon, where the Jazz Gospel Service begins at 10:45am. Later that afternoon at 3:30pm, A Touch of Blarney takes place on Daunts Square, featuring Cork's own Blarney Brass & Reed Band.
The weekend concludes with the Jazz Jamboree at Opera House Plaza at 5pm on Sunday evening, bringing together all visiting European brass bands for a farewell jam session.
The Metropole Hotel, the original home of the Jazz Festival, will host The Jazz Festival Club with live music all weekend. Bank Holiday Monday sees Jazz by the Riverside at the River Lee Hotel featuring the New Brass Band.
Beyond Cork City, the Guinness Kinsale Jazz Festival runs alongside the main events, with more than 100 live performances across four days in venues including The Blue Haven, Hamlets, Kitty O'Sé's, Harry's, Oscar's, Sam's, The Lord Kingsale, The White House, Trident Hotel, Dalton's, The Spaniard, The White Lady, the Tap Tavern and The Bulman. Lamorotte will perform on Kinsale's streets on Saturday afternoon, whilst an eight-piece brass show band from Kent appears at Oscar Madisons and Loose Change returns to the heart of Kinsale.
Fiona Collins, Chairperson of the Cork Jazz Festival Committee, said: "The Big Fringe is a real highlight for many festival-goers. The energy and enthusiasm of acts like Hyde Park Brass and our local talents such as Rebel Brass always bring the streets to life. Of course it wouldn't be possible without our partners Diageo, Cork City Council, Cork Airport, Fáilte Ireland, and many local businesses."
The Big Fringe represents just one element of the festival, which also features ticketed main stage shows that are selling quickly. The Guinness Jazz Music Trail offers additional free performances in more than 70 pubs and clubs throughout the city.
The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival takes place from 23rd to 27th October. For the full programme or to book tickets, visit guinnesscorkjazz.com or follow @guinnesscorkjazz. The fringe programme is supported by Guinness, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork Airport and local businesses.