FRINGE EVENTS

The annual Brecon Jazz Festival and the ‘Frazz’ Carnival Parade is usually organised over the second weekend in August, although in recent years the Jazz Festival has extended across the month of August, proving very popular with visitors and businesses alike. From around 2005, ‘Fringe’ events have grown up around the Festival (a Baroque Fringe event also takes place during the 2nd week in October). However, ‘Brecon Jazz’ is not the same as the ‘Fringe’- which is more a series of open-access events, where every kind of performer and mostly non-jazz acts are organised and funded independently by local landlords, some venue owners or just individuals. It all adds to the overall atmosphere of the Jazz Festival weekend though.

Many of the gigs in pubs, and bistros etc are mostly the same bands who return each year, but basically anyone can put on an event somewhere, to take part in the Brecon Fringe. The ‘Fringe’ has by design no formal structure or organisation, but bands have been able to find a source of information from independently operated websites and social media. Brecon Jazz helps, advise and promote jazz and cross-over performers, as part of alternative programming. However, our advice if you consider yourself to be ‘fringe’ musician or band, is to contact venues directly.

Third party contractors are often engaged to manage and control a town centre street closure, which helps to provide a festive atmosphere to the whole weekend. Street traders, and exhibitions can contact us or the contractors direct for information about availability/costs of stalls and trade stand locations.
JAZZ on the FRINGE programming has had over 30 performances, where the Festival organisers have expanded the Jazz street entertainment – download programme HERE

Upcoming Events

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“The beauty of Brecon is the sheer variety of music on offer, covering all jazz styles from trad to the avant garde. Also the way that the Festival takes over the whole town still makes it something truly special” Jazz Mann 2008

"Whatever your strategy, Brecon Jazz delivers, thanks to its geography and programming". John L Walters. The Guardian 2011

"Yes, it’s had its ups and downs, every bit as dramatic as the Beacons which rise above it, but the Brecon Jazz Festival has learned some tough survival skills as a result". Peter Bacon, UK Jazz News 2018

"The classic Brecon weekend is 9-11 August but there are several other excellent events around the festival this year including family jazz and dance on the first weekend and a film and jazz focus on the last". Tim Dickeson, Jazzwise 2024