How To Do Cheltenham Jazz Festival In Style: The C&TH Guide
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1 month ago
Cheltenham Jazz Festival returns at the end of April, bringing six days of live music to venues across the Cotswolds spa town
Founded in 1996, Cheltenham Jazz Festival estival has become one of the UK’s leading jazz events, combining internationally recognised artists with contemporary performers and emerging talent. Concerts take place across an array of venues, including the Big Top in Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham Town Hall, Parabola Arts Centre and DEYA Arena. Plus, alongside ticketed concerts, the Festival Village in Montpellier Gardens hosts free performances, bars and street food throughout the week to make the event a celebration of all things jazz.
A big year for the festival, the 2026 edition marks its 30th anniversary – which head of programming and Cheltenham Festivals co-CEO Ian George describes as ‘a major milestone’. ‘This anniversary programme reflects everything the Festival has always stood for – world-class artists, boundary-pushing jazz and a platform for the next generation,’ he says.
To celebrate, George and the Cheltenham Jazz Festival team have appointed their very first Guest Curator in the form of singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, who says she is ‘thrilled’ to be ‘helping shape [Cheltenham Jazz Festival’s] artistic journey over the next three years’.
‘Jazz is such an important part of my life and learning journey, and I’m excited to celebrate its incredible legacy as part of the Cheltenham family, exploring new ideas and future collaborations while also bringing new voices to the forefront,’ Corinne adds. Among the artists she’s particularly looking forward to seeing at the festival are Joss Stone, Lady Blackbird, Gotts Street Park, Ladies of Midnight Blue, Emma-Jean Thackray and Tinariwen.
Returning from from 29 April to 4 May, below find our comprehensive guide to Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Montpellier Gardens is the heart of Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
The Lineup
The 2026 programme brings together major headliners alongside contemporary jazz artists and emerging performers. Headline acts include Van Morrison, Jessie J and Joss Stone, alongside performances from ABC, 10cc and the Earth, Wind & Fire Experience by Al McKay.
Mica Paris will also appear with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, while singer-songwriter James Morrison marks twenty years since the release of his debut album Undiscovered.
The line-up also includes a range of established jazz and crossover artists such as Joshua Redman, Nigel Kennedy, Courtney Pine and Jack Savoretti. Contemporary performers across the programme include Emma-Jean Thackray, Yazz Ahmed, Theon Cross, Matt Carmichael, Ava Joe and Nectar Woode (who recently supported Olivia Dean on tour), alongside international acts including Tinariwen and Lady Blackbird. The programme also features artists such as Makaya McCraven, Roberto Fonseca and Georgie Cécile.
The 2026 programme will also mark the centenary of Miles Davis with a special orchestral tribute from the Guy Barker Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra presenting Miles Davis Symphonic: Kind of Blue.
Free Music Around Town
Many of the largest concerts will take place in the Big Top in Montpellier Gardens (Montpellier Spa Rd, Cheltenham GL50 1UL), the festival’s main stage and centre of the Festival Village. But in addition to ticketed concerts, the festival runs an extensive free programme across Cheltenham.
As such, more than 70 performances take place as part of the Around Town series, bringing live music to pubs, clubs and venues across the town centre. Free performances also take place in Montpellier Gardens, where the Festival Village hosts daytime shows alongside food stalls and bars.
Where To Eat & Drink
Montpellier Gardens and The Promenade are the most convenient areas for dining during the festival, with several restaurants within walking distance of the main venues. The Festival Village itself also hosts street food vendors and bars throughout the week.
Le Champignon Sauvage (24-28 Suffolk Rd, Cheltenham GL50 2AQ) is one of Cheltenham’s best-known restaurants and holds a Michelin star, serving modern French cooking focused on seasonal ingredients. Meanwhile Lumière (Clarence Parade, Cheltenham GL50 3PA) is the town’s newest Michelin-starred restaurant, helmed by a husband and wife team and focussing on British produce.
Elsewhere, Purslane (16 Rodney Rd, Cheltenham GL50 1JJ) offers modern British seafood cooking and has built a strong reputation locally for its relaxed approach to fine dining. For Indian cuisine, Prithvi (Prithvi, 37 Bath Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7HG) is known to be one of Cheltenham’s standout restaurants.
For more delicious dining options, find our full guide to Cheltenham’s best restaurants here.
Ellenborough Park
Where To Stay Nearby
If you are visiting Cheltenham for the Festival and need somewhere to stay nearby, we’ve got the loveliest options below.
Helmed by fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper and entrepreneur Julian Dunkerton, No.131 (131 The Promenade, Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NW) sits on The Promenade in central Cheltenham – within walking distance of many festival venues – and occupies three Georgian townhouses with 36 rooms and suites. Inside, the Terrace restaurant, the Gin & Juice bar and the Japanese restaurant YOKU are all a delight.
Venturing slighting into the nearby countryside, Ellenborough Park (Southam Ln, Cheltenham GL52 3NJ) is set within 90 acres on the edge of Cheltenham, a short drive from the town centre. The restored 15th-century manor house has 61 rooms and suites and retains its traditional country house character. Facilities include a spa, outdoor heated pool and several dining spaces overlooking the grounds.
Where & When
Returning from 29 April to 4 May 2026, Cheltenham Jazz Festival takes place across venues in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, including the Big Top in Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham Town Hall, Parabola Arts Centre, DEYA Arena and a range of venues across the town centre.
How To Get Tickets
Tickets are available through the official Cheltenham Festivals website, cheltenhamfestivals.org.
Prices vary depending on the performance and venue: headline concerts in the Big Top are typically higher priced, while smaller venue performances cost less, starting from £10. Many events in the Festival Village and Around Town programme are free to attend.
