The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival takes place in esteemed venues all over the city, with no singular fixed venue.
The 10-day festival consists of over 130 concerts that take place in theatres, parks and clubs. Each venue reflects the vibe of the music performed there. These locations vary from city centre to further afield, with every ward in the city hosting performances.
All you need to do to reach the festival is get to Edinburgh. Where you need to head next will depend on your itinerary, but the city’s quality public transport links mean that this should be simple. Individual venues are reachable by bus, tram, taxi or by foot.
Trains to Edinburgh Station run often from all over the UK. Travel from London to Edinburgh in around 5 hours, from Birmingham in around 4 hours and from Carlisle in 90 minutes.
Once you’ve arrived in Edinburgh, the festival encourages visitors to go green. Make the most of local bus and tram services, which will help you to arrive at each venue.
What to do at Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Each year, music fans from all over gather in the Scottish capital city for this feel-good festival. For 10 days the city becomes filled with like minded people with an appreciation for jazz and blues.
Here, you can immerse yourself in the joy of the arts. With a vast array of big names announced every year, enjoy live music from some of the best jazz and blues musicians worldwide.
The festival includes an exciting Mardi Gras event, bringing a taste of New Orleans to the city. This allows visitors to embrace a party atmosphere on the streets of Edinburgh. Returning music lovers can enjoy listening and dancing along to a host of live performances.
Also included in the festival is Carnival. Edinburgh Festival Carnival is set up by the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and takes place mid-way through the event.
Carnival is the city’s largest multicultural celebration, a vibrant and proud parade through the city streets. Visitors can come along to witness an inspiring display of music, dance and costume. An inclusive celebration, the event also works with communities to ensure those with little access to the arts have the chance to join in. Be sure not to miss Carnival.
About the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
This iconic festival began in 1978 and has run as an annual event since. It was set up by Mike Hart, an Edinburgh guitarist and banjo player.
The first festival took place in Edinburgh pubs and focused on traditional jazz performances. Since then, the event has grown and evolved into something more diverse. Genres like funk and hip-hop are now welcomed.
Today, the festival is an even larger event that champions creativity and music production. It is now one of the largest jazz and blues festivals in Europe. After experiencing such growth and success, it presents wonderful musicians from all over the world.
Edinburgh Jazz Festival 2024’s lineup includes the iconic Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. A legend in the genre, this top-class signing sets the tone for the whole festival.
Past lineups have included Fergus McCreadie, Hamish Stuart, Mud Morganfield and more.
Did you know that Edinburgh is the world’s leading festival city? Edinburgh Jazz Festival is one of the 10 major festivals held in the city that give Edinburgh this reputation.
Ways to save on your train ticket to the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival
Looking for ways to save money on your trip to the Edinburgh Jazz Festival this year? Follow our helpful tips to find the best deals.
Railcards are one of the easiest ways to save some cash when it comes to train travel. These personalised passes grant you discounts on rail journeys. Save ⅓ on train tickets and use the extra cash to enjoy your time in Edinburgh.
Planning ahead of time and purchasing an Advance Train Ticket saves money and gives you peace of mind. Book your travel nice and early, then sit back and relax knowing that festival transport is already sorted.
If you’re attending the festival with a group of friends, Group Train Tickets are ideal. All you need to do is fill out a group travel form to make savings.
Get the app
The Avanti West Coast app can make getting to the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival even easier.
Use the handy free app to find the best deals on trains to Edinburgh and save more money with no booking fees.
Keep tabs on your train with real-time train tracking to make sure you don’t miss a thing and keep all the information you need in one place.
