May brings Cheltenham Jazz Festival to town, a five day celebration of world-renowned musicians and artists. Here’s what we won’t be missing…

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

On Sunday 6 May, dancefloor queen Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be taking to the Big Top stage and you can be sure that we’ll be on the front row bopping along to Murder on the Dancefloor.
This year the festival has signed up to the Keychange programme to ensure an equal gender balance across the line-up, and Sophie is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to talented female artists showcasing at the event.

Catching acts on the Free Stage

The Free Stage is student-budget friendly and where we’ve spent a lot of our time at previous festivals. The tent is completely free to enter and has a huge range of different acts on across all five days so you can come and go as you please, or take a blanket and lounge on the grass outside.

Jack Savoretti

Jack Savoretti is kicking off the weekend by headlining the Big Top stage on Thursday. With hits such as Soldier’s Eyes and Love Is on the Line and currently in the studio finishing his eighth album, we know the vibes will be immaculate.

UB40

It turns out our parents were onto something back in the 90s when they were blasting Red Red Wine and Kingston Town at every family party. The group have sold over 100 million records and are recognised as one of the world’s most successful reggae bands. We can’t wait to soak up the iconic reggae tunes on Monday afternoon.

Late Night House Party

The Bottle of Sauce pub in Cheltenham town centre is playing host to a Late Night House Party on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. These ‘after-hours jam sessions’ are free to watch, and will be sure to bring a buzz to this popular pub.

For more information visit the Cheltenham Festivals website.