Aberjazz Music Festival in Pembrokeshire, 2023
Fishguard's annual music celebration over the August Bank Holiday
If you’re a music aficionado, clear your diaries for August Bank Holiday. One of Pembrokeshire’s most well-known and highly regarded music festivals invades one of the region’s prettiest harbourside towns for five days of music celebrations that you do not want to miss.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, it is safe to say that Aberjazz is one of the longest-running events in West Wales and it’s clear to see why it comes back year after year. Hosted by the North Pembrokeshire town of Fishguard, once famed for being the location of the last invasion of Britain in 1797 (an unsuccessful attempt by the French under the guide of Napoleon), Aberjazz guarantees a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable weekend for all who attend.
What is Aberjazz Festival?
Aberjazz is a five-day celebration of world music with a strong emphasis on jazz and blues sounds. The event aims to spread joy through the medium of music, with live performances taking place over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
As with any music festival, you’ll be able to attend an entire array of performances - some of which are ticketed concerts and some are free “pop-up” events. You’ll also be able to attend workshops where you might even expand your knowledge of the Welsh language, learn dance, discover how to play guitar and more.
Where does Aberjazz take place?
Musicians, performers, bands and music listeners descend on the small but mighty town of Fishguard in North Pembrokeshire. You can purchase event tickets in advance for the ticketed concerts where prices range between £10 and £25.
You’ll also be able to attend free performances in some of your favourite pubs and restaurants throughout the town as they host special music nights as part of the town-wide festival. Expect musical numbers at the likes of Ffwrn, Peppers, St Mary’s Church and Cresswell’s.
Almost Modern Jukebox at Aberjazz 2022 © Phil Blackmore
When is Aberjazz?
The 2023 festival takes place between 24th and 28th August, which is the August Bank Holiday Weekend. It will kick off with an opening party on the Thursday before culminating with a closing party on Monday 28th - after a weekend of music, of course.
About Aberjazz 2023
Visitors to this year’s festival are in for a real treat as there is some excellent talent lined up for 2023 along with a fantastic calendar full of other exciting events to keep the whole family entertained all weekend long.
Ffwrn, a quaint restaurant and bar on Main Street, is hosting the “Festival Curtain Raser” at 1pm on Thursday 24th August with regulars to the Aberjazz circuit, No Mean Biscuit performing. Following them will be Little Rumba, a Welsh band with a portfolio of songs written by their own hands.
Throughout the weekend, you’ll be able to take in dozens of performances from the likes of Onco Fonco which combines two renowned local bands, Honey Fungus and Daisy B, as well as a performance from Irish jazz performer Sharon Clancy. Expect tango jazz from BAIRES Connection, classic American Blues from Steve Ajao Blues Giants plus voodoo vaudeville blues from Jo Carley and the Old Dry Skulls.
Iago Banet is a solo fingerstyle acoustic guitarist you can catch performing at Ffwrn, Sister Bodhi is a harmonising duo of singer-songwriters who will be taking to the stage in St Mary’s Church whilst The J4 Quartet will be bringing you a twist on The Beatles music from Peppers.
Cardiff-based fusion band Chube, vintage harmonisers The Boogaloo Babes, locals Dominic Norcross Quartet and Bristolians Yetii will also be playing throughout the weekend. Transport yourself back to the 20s by The Jake Leg Lugg Band, tap your foot along to pre-war blues with Pistol Pete Wearn and Olly Parry or have a singalong to Motown and reggae with Dionne Bennett and the Pepper Seeds.
Headliner Cleveland Watkiss MBE takes to the stage at Theatr Gwaun on Saturday night as he performs rhythmic music and poignant stories from The Great Jamaican Songbook and you can catch The N’Famady Kouyate Band, winners of the 2023 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Award, perform at the closing party in Ffwrn on Monday 28th August.
It’s not all about watching others perform though, there’s a chance to get involved with a weekend packed with fun workshops. Learn jive and swing dancing, try your hand at the ukelele, practise playing the African drums and discover how to master the harmonica.
Children can learn songwriting or even take in a showing of Grooving with Pirates at Theatr Gwaun on West Street. With plenty of audience interaction, this fun children’s event takes place on Friday 25th August at both 11am and 4pm.
Billy Thompson at Aberjazz 2022 © Phil Blackmore
How to buy tickets and get involved
Head over to aberjazz.com to purchase your tickets in advance and see the full-line up for the weekend. You can also stay updated via the Aberjazz Facebook page.
History of Aberjazz, Fishguard
It might be hard to imagine nowadays, but Aberjazz began in 2004 when a group of local jazz enthusiasts took it upon themselves to arrange a musical event in the small harbour town of Fishguard. Originally it was held in the last weekend of October and was primarily all about jazz.
A couple of years later in 2006, the event was moved to its new home of August Bank Holiday and the organisers decided to broaden the appeal by introducing blues music to the line-up. Cut to 2008 when the event was taken over by new management and Aberjazz as we know it was born, with a fuller event calendar that expanded into the rest of the year.
The last twenty years of Aberjazz Festival has seen some incredible world-famous musicians play including the likes of Jacqui Danworth MBE, Courtney Pine, Paul Jones and Andy Fairweather Low. We can’t wait to see what the next twenty years of the festival has in store!
Coastal Cottages Holiday Cottages in Fishguard
Fishguard, previously a Viking settlement, is a small and friendly coastal town which comes to life on market day (Thursday). The small shops, galleries and restaurants are of particularly high quality and the town also hosts a fantastic annual international music and arts festival in July.
Thanks to Phil Blackmore for the Aberjazz photos used in this article.
