Leyburn Jazz Festival is a boutique jazz festival held in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, bringing live jazz performances to the town of Leyburn. The 2026 festival takes place from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th October 2026 and continues the festival’s aim of bringing high-quality jazz to the Dales.
The festival is produced by BlueBoxt Creative & Performing Arts, a voluntary-run charity based in Wensleydale, and uses St Matthew's Church, Leyburn as its main venue. Organisers highlight the church’s atmosphere, architecture, staging, lighting and acoustics as a key part of the festival experience.
The 2026 programme features a mix of traditional, contemporary and international jazz styles, including:
Orchestra Mambo International – a 13-piece Latin ensemble bringing salsa, mambo, cha-cha-cha and Afro-Cuban jazz influences.
Steely Jazz – featuring Chris Ingham and a quintet interpretation of Steely Dan classics.
Alexia Gardner Trio – returning after a previous performance at the festival.
Will Barnes Quartet – drawing inspiration from jazz guitar greats such as Wes Montgomery and Pat Metheny.
Ben Shankland Trio – featuring a rising name in the UK jazz scene.
Nicki Allan Quartet – bringing a fresh approach to jazz standards.
The Roaring Twenties – celebrating the sounds of 1920s jazz.
