Jazz Festival bringing in business boom

Thousands of visitors will throng the city for the 18th annual festival which runs until Monday, May 6.

Mayor John Boyle, is looking forward to both local people and those from further afield soaking up the upbeat atmosphere that the jazz festival always creates.

He said: “The jazz and big band festival is one of the highlights of our year and is hugely successful with a wide range of people.

“This year, our young people are more involved than ever before through the Youth 19 programme which is fantastic to see as it brings music to a whole new generation as well as showcases the incredible talent of the young people in the city and district.

“It is also an opportunity for our business community to demonstrate to a wider audience the high standards that they deliver day after day, making our area such a fantastic place to visit time after time.

“It promises to be a bumper weekend and I wish everyone a fantastic time.”

Around 70,000 people are expected to descend on Derry over the five days of the jazz festival with dozens of local cafes, bars, restaurants, hotels and theatres opening up their doors to give everyone the best entertainment on offer.

For 2019, more than 200 acts will appear in 70 venues.

Stephen Gillespie, Council’s Director of Business and Culture, Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: “The Jazz Festival sees year on year growth which gives a great boost to our local economy and builds on its status as a key tourist attraction. During the festival for every £1 spent we aim to attract at least £4 return on investment.”

Everything you need to know about this year’s jazz festival can be found on the free What’s On Derry Strabane app, which can be downloaded via www.cityofderryjazzfestival.com