The 40th anniversary of Brecon Jazz Festival will take place over three weekends this summer.
The renowned festival will take place at musical venues across the town on Sunday, August 4, Friday, August 9 to Sunday, August 11 and Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18.
This Saturday, May 4 will see festival volunteers in Brecon town centre handing out newsletters and flyers and answering your questions.
With support already confirmed from Brecon Town Council and Arts Council Wales and strong local partnerships in place with Brecon Beacons College, Castle Hotel, Specsavers Brecon, Tantrwm, The Wellington Hotel, Frazz and others, this year promises to follow in the long tradition of this famous festival.
In particular, they will be showcasing outstanding jazz music played in intimate venues, with a carnival atmosphere in the streets, outside live busking, stage concerts, workshops and wider entertainment too. The festival also intends to build on its strong international reputation and enhance an already strong online presence - some of its recent concerts have been viewed more than 100,000 times on YouTube.
Longstanding organisers Lynne and Roger of Brecon Jazz Club, are this year supported by a wider planning group of talented local volunteers. Brecon Jazz Festival is launching its first newsletter of 2024, a brand new three-year strategy and exciting new branding and logo depicting the fun, spirit and values of the festival held each year in this Brecon Beacons setting.
Brecon Jazz is now a registered charity and CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation), further ensuring its ‘volunteer-led’ and ‘not for profit’ approach, aiming to involve and benefit the town and wider community for years to come.
The festival invites the many different businesses and organisations in Brecon to come together in happy partnership, with regular festival supporters increasingly joined by new and stronger collaborations this year. A Brecon Jazz Festival Official Supporters’ Scheme is planned for 2024, and will mean that everyone’s support for the festival can be proudly displayed.
A ‘Taster Day’ for all, publicising this year’s festival, is being held in the town on Thursday, June 13, organised by students and staff of the Brecon Beacons campus of NPTC group of colleges.
The Festival Planning Group is also working closely with Brecon Frazz to enable the colourful ‘Jazz Parade’ to take place through the town on Saturday, August 10, with workshops and events for all ages organised by the Frazz team throughout the year.
With funding recently confirmed, the musical programme can now be finalised and tickets on sale soon, at www.breconjazz.org
If you’re interested in volunteering for the festival this year, the planning group would love to hear from you at: [email protected]