If you've been to the Festival in previous years, note the Sunday afternoon event is now in the Grassmarket, not Princes Street Gardens. 

At the very start of the Festival period, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival treats the city to a pair of free events, totalling nine solid hours of music over the two days of its first weekend.  The Festival's early timing means these events are largely attended by locals.

Mardi Gras

The very next day, Jazz Al Fresco returns to the Grassmarket, entertaining all comers for a solid afternoon with music drawn from the Festival's easy-listening styles.  There'll be three stages along the length of the street, and tables and chairs will be laid out for those who want to enjoy the food and drink from the pubs along the street.  The programme starts around 1pm and continues till 4:30, though be warned - we expect you'll need to turn up early if you want to get a seat.

About the Jazz and Blues Festival

The weekend events are the curtain-raiser for the week-long Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, the annual lead-in to the August Festival season.  This most laid-back of gatherings takes full advantage of its pre-Fringe scheduling, temporarily occupying some of the Festival's most iconic venues for its busy and varied programme.

Though Jazz and Blues events routinely sell out, there's likely to be good availability for most gigs until after the opening weekend.  The canniest way of approaching the Festival is to use the free events to sample what's on offer - then get in quickly for tickets to see the acts you like the most.

For more details on this year's Jazz Festival, see our Ticket Alert on the programme launch.