Jazz it Up in Derry! City of Derry Jazz Festival Returns this Week

The famous walls of Derry will resound with music when the City of Derry Jazz & Big Band Festival returns from the 1st-5th of May 2025!

Taking place from 1 to 5 May 2025, this year’s programme includes old jazz favourites, local legends and plenty of new talent, ready to deliver five days packed with entertainment, from jazz workshops to live concerts and drama performances.

What's On

The must-attend event for jazz lovers will feature headliners Billy Ocean, and Una Healy in session with Luke Thomas. Soul sensation Billy Ocean will perform his biggest hits in the Millennium Forum (3 and 4 May) while Una Healy (former Saturdays singer) teams up with Luke Thomas & the Swing Cats to present a celebration of the Great American Song Book (2 May) in St Columb’s Hall. 

The City of Derry Jazz & Big Band Festival will stage over 450 gigs in some 70 venues across the city featuring local and international talent. Festival favourites including jazz hubs, jazz alfresco, funky brass bands, workshops and dance classes will be back in a programme that will see the historic city in full swing over five music-filled days.  

Alongside the ticketed events, there will be lots of free outdoor performances that will invite people to dance in the streets and encourage musicians young and old to strike up a tune. 

Visitors to Derry are always assured of a warm welcome and there are top-class accommodation options and a range of great eateries to make a trip to the city for the festival weekend even more memorable.

Accommodation Options

Four-star boutique hotel Shipquay provides luxury accommodation in a heritage building that overlooks the 400-year-old walls. The period townhouse has a stylish, contemporary décor that complements the building’s history. 

More luxury accommodation can be found at Bishop’s Gate Hotel where rooms, suites and apartments are designed to reflect the Edwardian heritage of the building. Situated within the walls, the hotel is perfectly placed to put guests at the heart of the festival events.  

Festival goers that really want to get into the zone should check into the Jazz House, an opulently decorated Edwardian townhouse with five guest rooms that celebrate legends of jazz.  

Dining Options

Keeping fuelled during the hectic festival programme is easy in Derry with options ranging from top-class street food to fine dining.   

Pyke ‘N’ Pommes on the riverfront is a popular spot for hearty street food in quirky surroundings or for a wider variety head to Clipper Quay Street Food Market. For a sit-in treat, Artis by Phelim O'Hagan is a great choice. The Michelin recommended restaurant uses top quality produce from local suppliers to produce imaginative menus. Another Michelin recommended gem is Browns Bond Hill, one of the city’s top restaurants and winner of multiple awards. 

Exploring Derry

Derry is one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe and a tour of its 400-year-old walls is a must on a visit. Guided or unguided, a stroll around the 1.5km walkway on top of the walls will connect visitors to a part of the city’s rich history and add another dimension to a great festival weekend break.