A Gloucestershire bank holiday musical extravaganza that has grown in popularity year-on-year, Cheltenham Festivals has confirmed that Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2021 will be running as a digital-only festival on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 May 2021, due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
A statement from Cheltenham Festivals’ senior management board confirming the cancellation of this year’s physical Jazz Festival, on Monday 1 February 2021, added: ‘We hope to bring live Jazz music to the heart of Cheltenham in July, in line with whatever government restrictions may be in place at that time.’
Cheltenham Festivals also confirmed it is currently planning to go ahead with some ticketed events for physical audiences and a new free stage for the Cheltenham Science Festival in June 2021, which will be supported by a digital-focused programme of activity.
Cheltenham Festivals said: ‘As part of our ongoing commitment to bring the arts and science to everybody everywhere, we are aiming to reach our largest audiences to date through our online platforms. This digital transformation will bring quality programming and some of the festivals magic to homes everywhere.’
There are hopes that Cheltenham Music Festival in July 2021 and Cheltenham Literature Festival in October 2021 will be able to take place as physical events, with organisers saying they are monitoring the situation closely.
Details of the Cheltenham Jazz Festival two-day digital line-up and how it can be viewed are due to revealed in mid-March 2021.
By Michelle Fyrne
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