Cork is getting ready for one of the biggest weekends of the year.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026 returns from Thursday 22 October to Monday 26 October, bringing five days of live music, street performances, late-night gigs and festival atmosphere to venues across Cork City.

Now in its 48th year, the festival has grown far beyond traditional jazz.

The 2026 programme includes jazz, soul, funk, R&B, Afrobeat, electronic music, house, disco, blues and plenty more, with some huge international and Irish names taking part.

More than 500 musicians will perform across around 100 events in nearly 80 venues, making it one of the biggest city-based music festivals in Ireland.

Whether you're travelling for one headline show or planning an entire October Bank Holiday weekend in Cork, here's everything you need to know about the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026.

When is the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026?

The festival takes place from Thursday 22 October to Monday 26 October 2026 — right through the October Bank Holiday weekend.

Events begin on Thursday before building towards a huge Friday, Saturday and Sunday programme, with more music continuing through Bank Holiday Monday.

If you're planning to stay in Cork for the weekend, book accommodation as early as possible. This is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year in the city.

What is the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival?

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival began in 1978 at The Metropole Hotel in Cork. It was originally created by the hotel's marketing manager, Jim Mountjoy, and has since grown into one of Ireland's most famous music festivals.

Today the entire city becomes part of the event. You don't simply attend one festival venue. Music spills into hotels, theatres, pubs, clubs, churches, restaurants and the streets themselves. That city-wide atmosphere is a huge part of what makes Cork Jazz weekend so popular.

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026 Line-Up

The 2026 programme features an incredibly varied mix of international artists, established names and emerging performers. Some of the major names announced include:

• Berlioz
• Yussef Dayes
• Masters At Work
• Annie Mac
• Boney M featuring Maizie Williams
• KOKOROKO
• Courtney Pine
• Jason Moran
• Joe Armon-Jones
• St Paul & The Broken Bones
• Bill Laurance
• Jasmine Myra
• Muireann Bradley
• The Stunning
• Mundy
• The Boomtown Rats
• The Sultans of Ping
• 49th & Main
• Fish56Octagon
• Momoko Gill

And that's only part of the programme. The festival stretches across dozens of venues, so there are plenty of smaller shows, pop-up performances and free gigs happening throughout the weekend.

See Berlioz at Cork Opera House

One of the biggest names on the 2026 programme is Berlioz — the London-based project from producer Ted Jasper that mixes jazz with house, soul and electronic music. Berlioz has become hugely popular in recent years, particularly with listeners looking for something sitting between jazz club and late-night dance music. The Cork Opera House performance is one of the headline shows of the weekend. If that's the gig you're travelling for, don't leave tickets until the last minute.

Masters At Work Come to Cork

Another major booking is legendary New York house duo Masters At Work. Kenny Dope and Louie Vega have been hugely influential figures in house and dance music for decades. Their Cork appearance is particularly notable because it marks their first joint Irish performance in more than 20 years. They perform at Cork Opera House on Friday 23 October. For anyone who thinks Cork Jazz is only about saxophones and upright basses, this year's programme should quickly change that idea.

Annie Mac at Cork Opera House

Irish DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac is also appearing at Cork Opera House during the festival. Her late-night performance takes place on Friday 23 October, with doors scheduled for 11.30pm. It's another example of how broad the Cork Jazz programme has become — you can watch a traditional jazz quartet in the evening and finish the night dancing to electronic music.

Boney M Bring the Disco

One of the most instantly recognisable names appearing in Cork this year is Boney M featuring Maizie Williams, performing at Cork Opera House on Saturday 24 October. Expect plenty of disco classics and one of the weekend's biggest singalong crowds. At the time of writing, the show has already been listed as sold out, which gives you some idea of the level of interest around the 2026 festival.

Courtney Pine at The Everyman

British saxophonist Courtney Pine brings A Modern Day Jazz Story Live to The Everyman on Sunday 25 October. Pine has been one of the most influential figures in British jazz for decades, combining jazz with reggae, soul, hip-hop and Caribbean influences. For visitors looking for something closer to the festival's jazz roots, this is one of the standout performances.

The Music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane

Another particularly interesting 2026 show takes place at The Everyman on Friday 23 October. Trumpeter Keyon Harrold and saxophonist Marcus Strickland come together for a performance celebrating the music and influence of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Rather than simply recreating old recordings, the musicians bring a contemporary approach to two of jazz's most influential figures. For serious jazz fans, this could be one of the highlights of the weekend.

The Stunning Return to Cork City Hall

Irish rock favourites The Stunning play Cork City Hall on Friday 23 October, joined by special guest Mundy. Remarkably, it will be the first time The Stunning have played Cork City Hall in around 35 years. Expect songs including some of the band's best-known favourites and a big Friday-night crowd. This demonstrates just how broad Cork Jazz weekend has become — you don't necessarily need to be a jazz fan to find something you'll want to see.

Jazz at Triskel Arts Centre

Triskel Arts Centre has one of the strongest dedicated jazz programmes of the weekend. Artists scheduled for 2026 include Momoko Gill, Jason Moran, Bill Laurance, Jasmine Myra, Okonski, Riversphere featuring Iain Ballamy and Rob Luft, Trygve Seim & Tord Gustavsen, and the Maciej Obara Quartet featuring Mathias Eick. The intimate setting makes Triskel particularly good for anyone looking for a more focused listening experience away from the huge festival crowds.

The Guinness Music Trail

One of the best things about Cork Jazz is that you don't need expensive tickets for every performance. The Guinness Music Trail brings live music into pubs and venues all over Cork, with more than 70 venues expected to participate during the 2026 festival. You can wander through the city, hear music coming from a pub, step inside and discover someone you've never heard before. Sometimes these spontaneous sessions end up being the highlight of the weekend. And many Music Trail performances are completely free.

The Big Fringe

The festival atmosphere isn't confined to indoor venues. The Big Fringe brings music and entertainment onto Cork's streets — expect pop-up performances, brass bands and unexpected music appearing around the city throughout the weekend. The daytime programme is particularly useful for families and visitors who don't want to spend the entire weekend moving between ticketed gigs. Simply walking around Cork during Jazz weekend can feel like attending a festival.

Main Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Venues

Major venues involved in the festival include Cork Opera House, Cork City Hall, The Everyman, Cyprus Avenue, Triskel Arts Centre, Live at St Luke's, The Metropole Hotel, St Peter's Church, Kino and Cork Harbour Cruises. There are also dozens of pubs, hotels, restaurants and smaller venues participating through the Music Trail.

Visit the Metropole Hotel – Where Cork Jazz Began

If you're interested in the history of the festival, make time for The Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street. This is where Cork Jazz began back in 1978, and the hotel continues to play a major role during the festival, operating its own Metropole Jazz Festival Club over the Bank Holiday weekend. Jazz weekend packages for 2026 run from Friday 23 to Monday 26 October, with entertainment continuing late into the night. The hotel is right in the heart of Cork's Victorian Quarter, which becomes one of the busiest areas during the festival.

Is Cork Jazz Festival Free?

A lot of it is. Headline concerts and major venue performances require tickets, but a huge amount of music around Cork can be enjoyed for free. The Guinness Music Trail features performances across dozens of venues, while The Big Fringe brings additional entertainment into the streets. A good strategy is to book one or two concerts you really want to see and spend the rest of the weekend exploring the free programme.

Is Cork Jazz Festival Just for Jazz Fans?

Definitely not. The programme now covers an enormous range of music including jazz, soul, funk, disco, house, electronic, Afrobeat, blues, R&B, rock and folk-influenced music. Acts such as Annie Mac, Boney M, The Stunning and Masters At Work sit alongside some of the world's leading jazz musicians. If you simply enjoy live music, you'll find something here.

Is Cork Jazz Festival Family Friendly?

During the daytime, yes. The festival's FAQ confirms that daytime events include options suitable for visitors under 18, particularly through The Big Fringe programme. Street entertainment and daytime performances make it easy for families to enjoy the festival atmosphere without staying out late. However, many pub and club events will naturally have age restrictions, particularly late-night performances — check individual venue rules before booking anything with teenagers or younger children.

Best Areas to Explore During Cork Jazz

Victorian Quarter — MacCurtain Street and the surrounding streets are among the liveliest parts of the city during Jazz weekend. With The Metropole, The Everyman and numerous pubs nearby, you can hear several completely different styles of music within a very small area.

Oliver Plunkett Street — Another excellent area for pub-hopping and live music. Walk down the street during Jazz weekend and you'll rarely have to travel far before hearing another band.

Grand Parade and Washington Street — This area puts you close to several venues, bars and restaurants and makes another useful base for exploring the festival.

St Patrick's Street — The heart of Cork City gets particularly lively throughout festival weekend, especially when street performers and brass bands are out.

Make a Weekend of It

If you're travelling from elsewhere in Ireland, we'd strongly recommend staying at least one night. A simple Cork Jazz itinerary could look something like this:

Friday: Arrive in Cork, explore the city centre, follow the Guinness Music Trail, dinner in the Victorian Quarter, headline concert, late-night music.

Saturday: English Market, lunch in Cork City, free afternoon jazz and street performances, another ticketed show, Music Trail into the evening.

Sunday: Relaxed breakfast, walk around the city, Triskel or Everyman performance, final evening exploring Cork's pubs.

And if you can stay through Bank Holiday Monday, you'll get one more day of festival atmosphere before heading home.

Visit the English Market

The English Market is one of Cork City's best-known attractions and is right in the centre of town. Browse local produce, grab something to eat and recharge before heading back into the festival. It also gives you a glimpse of Cork's food culture away from the music.

Getting to Cork Jazz Festival

By Train: Cork Kent Station is within walking distance of the city centre. Direct trains operate from Dublin and several other parts of Ireland. For a busy festival weekend, travelling by train can be considerably easier than trying to find city-centre parking.

By Bus: National bus and coach services connect Cork with Dublin, Galway, Limerick and other towns and cities.

By Air: Cork Airport is only a short journey from the city centre — around 15 minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus.

By Car: Parking becomes very busy during Jazz weekend. If you're staying centrally, consider parking once and leaving the car there for the weekend. Most of the main festival venues are within walking distance of each other.

Where to Stay for Cork Jazz Festival

Book accommodation as early as possible. Areas worth considering include the Victorian Quarter, city centre, South Mall, Washington Street area, Shandon and Sunday's Well. The Victorian Quarter is probably the best option if you want to be right in the middle of the festival. For slightly quieter evenings, staying just outside the centre may suit you better.

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026 at a Glance

Dates: 22–26 October 2026 Location: Cork City Festival edition: 48th Musicians: More than 500 Events: Around 100 Venues: Nearly 80 Free music: Yes — Guinness Music Trail and The Big Fringe Best for: Music lovers, couples, groups of friends and autumn city breaks

Is the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Worth Visiting?

Absolutely — even if jazz isn't normally your thing.

The real appeal of this weekend is Cork itself. For five days, music takes over the city. You might begin the evening watching an internationally renowned jazz musician in a theatre, stumble across a brass band outside afterwards and finish the night listening to a completely unknown band packed into the corner of a pub.

That unpredictability is what makes Cork Jazz weekend so much fun. Book the performances you really want to see and leave some space for whatever you find along the way.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026 runs from 22–26 October. With more than 500 musicians, around 100 events and nearly 80 venues — including Berlioz, Masters At Work, Annie Mac, Boney M, KOKOROKO, Courtney Pine, Jason Moran, The Stunning, Mundy and many more — this is one of the strongest line-ups the festival has seen in years.

If you're looking for an excuse to spend an autumn weekend in Cork, this might be one of the best ones you'll get.