EFG London Jazz Festival 2026, United Kingdom

• November 13, 2026
  Event date:
• November 22, 2026
  Event end:

What to expect in 2026

EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 will bring ten days of jazz, contemporary music, international collaborations, new commissions and emerging artists to venues across London. The festival runs from November 13 to 22, with performances spread across major concert halls, jazz clubs, cultural spaces and alternative venues throughout the capital. The official programme includes more than 90 listed performances and events across the festival period.

The 2026 programme combines established international names with younger artists and experimental projects. Major performances include Samara Joy, Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves, Melody Gardot, Mariza, Ben Folds, Goldie, Caravan Palace, GoGo Penguin and Morcheeba.

Visitors can expect traditional jazz alongside soul, electronic music, hip-hop, global music, orchestral projects, improvised music and jazz-influenced contemporary sounds. The festival is designed as a city-wide programme rather than a single-site outdoor festival, allowing visitors to combine concerts with London’s restaurants, nightlife, museums and attractions.

Festival dates

EFG London Jazz Festival 2026 takes place from November 13 to November 22, 2026.

The festival runs for ten days, with performances scheduled throughout the period. The official programme currently lists events on every day from Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 22.

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Venue & festival site

EFG London Jazz Festival does not operate from one festival site. Performances take place across a large network of London venues.

Major 2026 venues include:

• Barbican
• Royal Albert Hall
• Southbank Centre
• Cadogan Hall
• Kings Place
• KOKO
• Roundhouse
• Jazz Cafe
• Troxy
• Union Chapel
• Village Underground
• Vortex Jazz Club
• Cecil Sharp House
• Milton Court
• Smith Square Hall
• 93 Feet East
• Islington Assembly Hall
• British Airways ARC
• Stone Nest
• The Wilds, Barking Riverside
• The Lower Third
• EartH Theatre
• Colour Factory
• ICA
• Barbican Cinema

The official programme confirms that the festival uses multiple venues and includes separate halls and spaces within some larger cultural complexes.

This multi-venue format means visitors should check the individual event listing carefully before travelling, as venue location, doors time, seating arrangements and age requirements can differ.

Full lineup

The 2026 programme currently includes a wide range of artists and special projects. The published lineup includes:

• Opening Gala: Jazz Voice
• Muireann Bradley
• Sarathy Korwar
• Emma-Jean Thackray
• Fergus McCreadie
• Morcheeba
• Alex Cornish
• Coltrane 100 featuring Joe Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh and Jeff “Tain” Watts
• DREAMSCAPES
• Faris Ishaq
• Goldie
• Asha Puthli
• Caravan Palace
• Rita Wilson
• L’Antidote
• Naïssam Jalal
• Roberto Negro
• Constantinople
• Manu Delago
• Max ZT
• The Meltdown
• Duo Safar
• Imed Alibi
• Zied Zouari
• Justin Adams
• Lizz Wright
• Rian Peters
• Alfredo Rodriguez
• Pedrito Martinez
• Anouar Brahem
• Mariza
• Dave Okumu & Friends
• Yasuaki Shimizu
• Samer Rashed
• Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet
• Melody Gardot
• Tyreek McDole
• GoGo Penguin
• Matt Carmichael
• Roberto Fonseca
• Vincent Segal
• Maarja Nuut
• Shards
• Sam Gendel
• Sam Wilkes
• Charlotte Dos Santos
• TRÍADA
• Andy Sheppard Trio
• Norma Winstone
• Kit Downes
• Ayanna Witter-Johnson
• Fatoumata Diawara
• Thanda Choir
• Rymden
• Martin Taylor
• Guy Barker
• Soweto Kinch
• Bongeziwe Mabandla
• Zola Marcelle
• Jaga Jazzist
• Robocobra Quartet
• Córas Trio
• Shri
• Isaiah Sharkey
• Tania Giannouli
• Nils Petter Molvær
• Elliot Galvin
• Laura Jurd
• Church Of Sound
• Ben Folds
• Kronos Quartet
• Memotone
• Shell Company
• Guildhall Session Orchestra
• David Kayode
• Marlon The Pannist
• Emma Rawicz
• Philip Dizack
• Gerald Clayton Trio
• Kaidi Akinnibi
• Mackwood
• Branford Marsalis
• Dianne Reeves
• Olivia Cuttill Quintet
• un.procedure
• Cécile McLorin Salvant
• BBC Concert Orchestra
• Dave Holland
• London Vocal Project
• Kyoto Jazz Massive
• Echoes of a New Dawn Orchestra
• The Joy
• Samara Joy
• Jonny Mansfield Quartet
• Emmanuel Michael

The official programme remains the best source for the latest additions, cancellations and individual performance details.

Stage-by-stage schedule

EFG London Jazz Festival does not use a conventional festival stage system. Instead, the programme is organised around individual London venues, halls and performance spaces.

Examples include:

• Barbican: Coltrane 100, Anouar Brahem, Soweto Kinch, Church Of Sound, The Joy and other performances.
• Southbank Centre: Jazz Voice, Goldie, Mariza, Ben Folds, Samara Joy and Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
• Kings Place: Fergus McCreadie, Constantinople, Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet, Emma Rawicz, Gerald Clayton Trio and other projects.
• Cadogan Hall: Lizz Wright, Roberto Fonseca, Andy Sheppard Trio, Tania Giannouli and other performances.
• Royal Albert Hall: Melody Gardot and other festival presentations.
• KOKO: GoGo Penguin and Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez.
• Jazz Cafe: The Meltdown, Rymden and Isaiah Sharkey RED.
• Roundhouse: Fatoumata Diawara + Thanda Choir.
• British Airways ARC: Caravan Palace and Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves.
• Union Chapel: Dave Okumu & Friends, Sam Gendel & Sam Wilkes and other performances.

The official programme should be checked by venue and date because there is no single central stage timetable.

Set times

Set times vary by performance and venue. Many evening concerts begin around 7:00pm or 7:30pm, while some clubs and specialist events have later or earlier sessions.

For example, the festival programme includes evening performances at venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Barbican, Cadogan Hall and Southbank Centre, while club programmes can run later into the evening.

Exact doors, support and performance times should be checked on the individual official event page before attending. The festival’s central programme currently identifies the date and venue for each performance but does not operate a single festival-wide set-time schedule.

Ticket types

EFG London Jazz Festival operates primarily through individual event tickets rather than one universal wristband covering the entire festival.

Typical ticket options can include:

• Individual concert tickets
• Reserved seating tickets
• Standing tickets for selected club shows
• Concession tickets where offered
• Student tickets at participating venues
• Member tickets at participating venues
• Free events and performances
• Family or age-specific events where applicable

Ticketing is handled by individual presenting venues and event partners, so ticket conditions can differ from one performance to another.

Ticket release phases

There is no single festival-wide ticket release phase covering every performance. Events are released through the festival programme and the relevant venue or presenting organisation.

As additional artists and performances are confirmed, individual shows can become available for booking at different times. Visitors should therefore check the official EFG London Jazz Festival programme regularly rather than waiting for one universal ticket release.

Some 2025 events were released in waves, with Barbican performances announced through several rounds before the full programme was published.

VIP/Village options

EFG London Jazz Festival is a city-wide concert festival rather than a traditional camping festival, so there is no central VIP village, camping village or festival campsite.

Premium experiences depend on the individual venue. Certain concerts may offer better seating categories, hospitality arrangements or venue-specific premium options, but these should not be treated as one festival-wide VIP package.

Visitors looking for an upgraded experience should check the individual event page for seating categories, hospitality and venue facilities.

Festival rules

Because the festival operates across numerous independent venues, rules vary according to the location and event.

Visitors should expect standard London concert and venue requirements, including:

• Valid tickets are required for ticketed performances.
• Age restrictions may apply to individual events.
• Proof of age or identification may be required for age-restricted performances.
• Security checks may operate at larger venues.
• Large bags and prohibited items may be refused.
• Photography and recording rules vary by artist and venue.
• Visitors should follow venue staff instructions at all times.
• Latecomers may be admitted only at an appropriate point in the performance.

The individual event page should always be checked for specific age limits, prohibited items and admission conditions.

Food & drink at the festival

There is no single festival food court because EFG London Jazz Festival takes place throughout London.

Most major venues have their own bars, cafés or hospitality facilities, while central locations provide a large choice of restaurants and food outlets nearby.

Useful areas for combining concerts with food and drink include:

• Southbank and Waterloo
• Barbican and Clerkenwell
• Soho and the West End
• Camden
• Shoreditch
• King’s Cross
• Islington
• Kensington and South Kensington

For evening performances, visitors should allow extra time for dining because popular central London restaurants can become busy during festival nights.

Accessibility

Accessibility is venue-specific because the festival takes place across many different buildings.

Major venues such as the Barbican, Southbank Centre, Royal Albert Hall and other established cultural venues provide accessibility services, but the exact facilities can vary between performances.

Visitors should check the accessibility information for the specific venue before booking. Requirements can include wheelchair spaces, companion seating, step-free access, accessible toilets, hearing assistance and other support.

Because each concert has its own ticketing arrangements, accessibility bookings should normally be made through the venue presenting the performance.

Best days to attend

The best day depends on the artists a visitor wants to see.

Friday, November 13 is a strong opening day, featuring Jazz Voice, Emma-Jean Thackray, Coltrane 100, Fergus McCreadie, Morcheeba and Sarathy Korwar.

Saturday, November 14 is particularly attractive for visitors interested in Goldie, Asha Puthli, Caravan Palace, Rita Wilson and the Duke Ellington tribute at Kings Place.

Sunday, November 15 has an especially broad programme, including Mariza, Anouar Brahem, Lizz Wright, Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez, Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet and Dave Okumu & Friends.

Friday, November 20 is another strong choice, with Ben Folds, Kronos Quartet and Church Of Sound among the programme highlights.

Saturday, November 21 is suited to visitors looking for major international jazz names, including Branford Marsalis & Dianne Reeves, Gerald Clayton Trio and Emma Rawicz.

Sunday, November 22 provides a major closing-day programme featuring Samara Joy, Cécile McLorin Salvant with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Kyoto Jazz Massive, The Joy and other artists.

Previous year’s highlights

The 2025 edition featured a large programme of established jazz artists, contemporary musicians, international projects and new collaborations.

Highlights included Dee Dee Bridgewater, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Hermeto Pascoal & Grupo, Tortoise, aja monet, Shabaka, Camilla George and Jason Yarde.

The 2025 Barbican programme also included the Evolution of UK Jazz celebration, which marked 20 years of Serious’s Take Five talent-development programme and brought together artists associated with the development of contemporary British jazz.

Ticket pricing varied considerably by artist and venue. Historical 2025 examples ranged from approximately $8 for lower-priced club and concession performances to around $54 for premium major concerts, with many larger Barbican performances starting between approximately $27 and $47. These are previous-edition reference prices only, not guaranteed 2026 prices.

Official tickets

The official festival programme is the main starting point for finding 2026 performances and their booking options.

https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/

Ticket availability, prices, seating and booking conditions are displayed through the relevant event and presenting venue. Because the festival has multiple ticketing partners, visitors should use the official programme rather than relying on unofficial resale listings.

How to get there

By underground: London Underground provides convenient connections to many festival venues. The appropriate station depends on the individual concert location.

By train: Major London railway stations including Waterloo, King’s Cross, St Pancras, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Paddington and Victoria provide connections to different parts of the city.

By bus: London’s extensive bus network serves central and inner London venues and can be useful after Underground services become busy.

By walking: Several venues are close enough to combine on foot with restaurants, theatres, museums and other attractions.

By taxi or rideshare: Taxis and private-hire services are available throughout London, although traffic can make journeys slow after major evening concerts.

Because the festival is spread across the capital, visitors should plan each journey separately rather than using one festival transport route.

Public transport after the festival

Public transport is generally the easiest way to move between EFG London Jazz Festival venues.

The London Underground, Elizabeth line, London Overground, buses and National Rail services provide connections across the city. However, visitors attending late-night jazz-club performances should check the final services for their particular route before the show.

For late performances, night buses, Night Tube services on selected Underground lines, taxis and private-hire vehicles can provide alternatives.

Visitors staying outside central London should pay particular attention to the final train from the relevant London terminal, especially after performances that finish late.

Accommodation areas

The best accommodation area depends on the venues visitors plan to attend.

South Bank and Waterloo: Convenient for Southbank Centre, central London and several major cultural attractions.

Covent Garden and Soho: Good for visitors combining festival concerts with West End entertainment, restaurants and nightlife.

Barbican and Clerkenwell: Particularly convenient for Barbican performances and central London jazz events.

King’s Cross: A strong transport base with fast connections across London and convenient access to Kings Place.

Camden: Useful for visitors attending performances around KOKO, Roundhouse and northern London.

Shoreditch and Liverpool Street: Convenient for venues such as 93 Feet East and other east London locations.

Kensington: Suitable for visitors attending Royal Albert Hall and wanting access to museums and central London attractions.

For a multi-day festival visit, staying near a major Underground or railway interchange can be more useful than choosing accommodation next to only one venue.

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