'The busiest we've had': Jazz Festival brings 100,000 visitors and injects €45m in local economy

Music lovers came out in droves this year to enjoy the five-day festival Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, despite wet and windy conditions, with one pub owner saying, "we need more weekends like this".

Festivities began last Thursday, with more than 100,000 jazz fans and music lovers in attendance over the bank holiday weekend to marvel at the range of performances which took place across the city and county.

It draws to a close this evening.

According to festival organisers, businesses are reporting a 12% increase in sales compared to last year, bringing an estimated €45 million injection to the local economy.

The festival attracts hundreds of musicians and thousands of music fans to the city each year, with more than 55,000 people travelling through Cork Airport to join this year’s repertoire of jazz goers.

With more sold out shows than ever before, festival director Mark Murphy said that this year’s Guinness Jazz Weekend was “the biggest success,” with the most amount of ticketed events, drawing a huge international interest.

“We’re now attracting some of the biggest names in jazz and music, and the future looks bright for the festival,” said Mr Murphy.

Some of the weekend highlights included Gregory Porter, Buena Vista All-Stars, De La Soul, Todd Terje, Marilyn Mazur, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Amadou & Mariam, Brian Jackson and Theo Parrish.

The Guinness Music Trail, spanning 72 pubs, was also a massive success, with large numbers turning out to party, filling every venue to capacity.

The Big Fringe further drew record crowds, with brass bands and more bringing vibrant energy to the streets as Corkonians wandered from venue to venue taking in the electric atmosphere.

Owner of Costigans Pub, Colm O’Connor said: “It’s been the busiest Guinness Cork Jazz Festival we’ve had.

“Cork needs more weekends like this.” 

The festival has also been getting rave reviews from the artists who took over the city, with the renowned Gregory Porter saying that he loves the “musical village” that the festival creates.

Three-time Grammy Award winner Gaby Moreno said: “Performing at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival was such a special moment for me.

“It’s an honour to be part of a celebration with so much history, where artists and audiences from all over come together through music.” While the city was in usual fashion a hive of activity, further events took place across Cork county, including many across venues in Kinsale for the Kinsale Fringe Jazz Festival.

Owner of the Blue Haven Hotel, Ciarán Fitzgerald said: “Overall it was a great weekend - the jazz in Kinsale always is.

“Friday started strongly, Saturday was busier than any other year, and Sunday was slower to get going because of the weather, but then it kicked in early evening and was fantastic.

"It was a really positive weekend with a really lovely crowd and extremely positive feedback."

Chair of the festival committee Fiona Collins said that the festival brings a “palpable energy” to the city and county, with Aaron Mansworth, president of the Cork Business Association and MD of Trigon Hotel Group saying that all businesses in Cork benefited from the weekend’s festivities.

“What a weekend! It’s not just hotels and pubs that benefited—every business in Cork, from retailers to chemists, felt the impact,” said Mr Mansworth.

“Huge congratulations to everyone involved, from the festival organisers to the jazz festival committee, and of course to Guinness and Diageo for their continued significant investment which makes the weekend possible.”