Five days of jazz return to Penarth with live music, film, dance and workshops

Penarth Jazz Festival returns this week with five days of live music, cinema, workshops, talks, dance and exhibitions taking place across the town.

Running from Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 October, the 2026 festival will bring together established jazz performers and contemporary talent, with most of the programme taking place at Penarth Pier Pavilion.

The festival will culminate on Sunday evening with a big-band performance by the Capital City Jazz Orchestra at the Paget Rooms.

Among this year's headline performers is multi-award-winning jazz vocalist Ian Shaw, who will perform at Penarth Pier Pavilion on Friday 16 October.

Earlier in the day, aspiring singers will also have the chance to take part in a vocal workshop with Shaw.

The festival gets under way on Wednesday 14 October with the Mark Sambell Trio, combining contemporary jazz, Latin and funk as part of a special Pizza and Piano Night.

On Thursday, John Hellings will present an illustrated cinema talk, followed in the evening by a performance from the Keith Little Trio with Jane Williams.

Friday will centre on Ian Shaw, with his afternoon vocal workshop followed by a concert at 7.30pm.

Saturday's programme begins with a jazz dance class led by June Campbell Davies, before the Debs Hancock Trio celebrates some of jazz's best-known female voices with The First Ladies of Jazz.

The award-winning Jack Pearce Quintet will perform on Saturday evening, bringing music influenced by post-bop and the energy and swing of 1990s New York jazz.

On Sunday morning, the Ross Hicks Trio, performing as Los Diablos Ritmicos, will bring Latin rhythms to the Pavilion.

They will be followed in the afternoon by Ms. Maggie & The Cat's Pyjamas, with a vintage swing performance inspired by the atmosphere of a 1920s speakeasy.

The festival will then move to the Paget Rooms for its finale, featuring the Capital City Jazz Orchestra.

Jazz celebrated on screen

This year's festival also extends into the Pavilion's cinema with three films looking at some of jazz's most influential musicians.

Everybody Digs Bill Evans, an award-winning 2026 biographical drama, explores the life of pianist and composer Bill Evans, following him through a period of loss, creativity and musical reinvention.

It will be joined by Clint Eastwood's Bird, a portrait of pioneering saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker, and Miles Ahead, starring Don Cheadle as Miles Davis.

Together, the films explore the lives, music and legacies of three artists who helped shape jazz.

Elsewhere, Her Frame, Her Sound will celebrate women in jazz through the work of leading photographers, with the wider programme also including talks, workshops and opportunities for visitors to try jazz dance.

A Festival Pass is available, offering access to the programme at a saving compared with buying individual tickets.

Cllr Rhiannon Birch, Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language, said: “Penarth Jazz Festival is a fantastic example of the vibrant cultural programme we want to see flourishing across the Vale of Glamorgan.

“This year’s festival brings together an incredibly varied programme, from internationally acclaimed performers and big band jazz to cinema, workshops, dance and exhibitions, creating opportunities for both dedicated jazz fans and those discovering the genre for the first time.

“Penarth Pier Pavilion provides a truly special setting for live music and cultural events, and it is wonderful to see the festival making use of The Paget Rooms, Penarth too. I’m particularly pleased to see a programme that celebrates established artists while also providing opportunities for people to participate, learn and experience jazz in new ways.

“I hope residents and visitors alike will take the opportunity to enjoy what promises to be a brilliant celebration of music, creativity and culture in Penarth.”

Penarth Jazz Festival runs from Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 October 2026 at Penarth Pier Pavilion, with the closing Capital City Jazz Orchestra concert taking place at the Paget Rooms.

Tickets for individual events and the Festival Pass are available through Penarth Pier Pavilion.