Cheltenham Jazz Festival

Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2026

From spring 2026, Cheltenham in Gloucestershire hosts the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, a week-long celebration of live jazz in the town’s elegant streets and parks.

Music

The festival features top international jazz artists and emerging talent across genres like swing, blues, Latin jazz, funk, and modern improvisation. Concerts take place from afternoon until midnight.

Festival Village

Montpellier Gardens becomes the Festival Village, offering:

• The Big Top marquee for headline shows (ticketed)
• Multiple smaller stages with free performances
• Street food stalls and pop-up bars

Atmosphere

The festival atmosphere is friendly and inclusive, with live music spills onto the streets, theatres, pubs, and cinemas, creating a vibrant open-air party. Activities include workshops and dance classes, with family-friendly events like kids' music workshops.

Getting to Cheltenham is easy by road, rail, or air. If you are arriving by train, Cheltenham Spa station is the main hub. It is about a 25-minute walk (or a short taxi) from the town centre and Festival Village. Regular trains from London, Birmingham, Bristol and other cities connect here – the trip from Birmingham takes around an hour, and London about two hours. From the station there are frequent buses and taxis, and even a handy bike path into town if you prefer to pedal.

By road, Cheltenham is close to the M5 motorway. Take Junction 11 (for the Arle Court Park & Ride) or Junction 10 (towards Gloucester) and follow signs into Cheltenham. There is ample parking available in town, and Park & Ride services run from Arle Court and Cheltenham Racecourse (just outside town) to help you reach downtown venues. Local bus routes (Stagecoach numbers 94, 97, etc.) stop at major car parks and around the town centre, making it easy to navigate without a car.

For air travellers, the nearest major airports are Birmingham and Bristol, each roughly a 50-mile drive from Cheltenham. From Birmingham International Airport you can take a train via Birmingham New Street station (about 1 hour total travel), or use National Express coach services. Bristol Airport passengers can take a train from nearby Parkway or Temple Meads stations into Cheltenham. London Heathrow and Gatwick airports are further away (around 2–3 hours by road or rail), but offer frequent connections to the town via rail or intercity coach services.

Cheltenham's town centre is compact and very walkable, with most festival venues just a short stroll apart. Plenty of local taxis and app-based ride services are available for quick trips. Special shuttle buses and park-and-ride coaches often operate during the festival to bring visitors from outlying parking lots or nearby towns. If you are driving, be prepared for heavier traffic around festival dates – but using Park & Ride or local buses can save you time searching for parking in the busy centre.

Accommodation in Cheltenham ranges from cosy guesthouses and B&Bs to stylish hotels and self-catering apartments, many within easy reach of the Festival Village. Popular hotels can book up quickly on festival weekends, so it is wise to reserve early. If Cheltenham's lodging fills up, neighbouring towns like Gloucester or the Cotswolds villages offer alternatives within a short drive, and trains or buses can bring you in each day. By planning ahead and choosing the best mix of transport and lodging for your needs, you can enjoy the Jazz Festival without stress.