Edinburgh Jazz Festival

The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival is the longest running Jazz festival in the UK - with the 34th festival taking place in 2012. The event is also the most diverse of its kind, featuring many different types of jazz performed by top class musicians from across the world.

Performances take place in concert halls, clubs, theatres, coffee shops and out in the open air. Over 10 days there are around 120 concerts, with additional jam sessions and free outdoor events, which are attended by over 50,000 people, including jazz fanatics and newcomers to the genre.

The festival was founded in 1978 when Mike Hart, a jazz guitarist and banjo player, booked out the Astoria ballroom for a weekend and invited different bands to play. The festival artistic director is still Mike Hart, and he oversees the exciting programme of events that includes the 'Mardi Gras' which takes place in the city's Grassmarket and 'Jazz on a Summers Day' in Princes Street Gardens - both of which are free.

The festival has become extremely popular and attracts both established performers and rising stars from the local area and across the globe. All styles of Jazz are treated as equals - with performances portraying the original sounds of early 1920's Chicago to those flaunting the modern New York Jazz scene.

So no matter what type of jazz you're into, the Jazz and Blues Festival 2011 will be a fantastic celebration of all things jazz! Accommodation at this time of year gets snapped up really quickly, so plan your break in Edinburgh early. Why not get together a group of friends and book a self catering apartment - this should not only save you loads of money, but will be a great laugh and gives you lots of flexibility. Check out our Edinburgh Jazz Festival Accommodation.