Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival 2026

The Sidmouth International Jazz and Blues Festival took place for the first time in 2022 and has since been an event of much significance, attracting thousands of blues and jazz lovers and their families to the seaside resort town of Sidmouth, Devon. The 2026 festival will take place from 22nd to 24th May and is once again expected to receive widespread public acclaim.

Whatever you enjoy, you can find it at the festival, with its varied program covering so many musical styles: jazz, swing, blues, roots, gospel, soul, funk, Latin, and Cuban.

Each summer, the programme features headline ticketed concerts of international standard, high-quality outdoor performances on a dedicated stage in Blackmore Gardens, and lively fringe activity with live music in venues across the town – ranging from restaurants and hotels to pubs and more relaxed venues.

At the heart of the festival is a vision to deliver wellbeing through the therapeutic power of music. The organisers hope to deliver an artistic programme that is high quality, varied, and inclusive – one that engages the local community, generates tourism, and delivers economic and cultural value to Sidmouth, Devon, and the wider South West.

When new editions come along, the festival is sure to grow bigger naturally with the bar rising higher each time with newer and more innovative shows that attract a wide public – from ardent music-lovers to families seeking that special cultural spectacle.

The 2025 festival was a milestone event, featuring an outstanding lineup of some of the world's finest jazz and blues musicians, including Soul II Soul, Gabrielle, Curtis Stigers, Eric Bibb, Nubiyan Twist, the James Taylor Quartet, and many more exceptional artists. The year also offered an impressive free education programme, with masterclasses, workshops, street performances, and a fantastic range of live entertainment.

As soon as the 2026 headliners are announced, we’ll be sure to let you know.

The values of the festival are all about accessibility and inclusivity to achieve a situation where the learnings, enjoyment, and positive impacts music can provide are shared around. It is a boutique design festival that subscribes to focusing on the quality over the quantity.