Swing to bebop and lots more in Laois at the Portlaoise Jazz Festival

Portlaoise is set to be the place to be for a feast of jazz over the St Brigid's Bank Holiday Weekend when the Portlaoise Jazz Festival returns to the social calendar after a near three-decade hiatus.

The festival takes place across over 20 venues around the town with 40 acts taking to the stage, entertaining locals and visitors over three days packed with all sorts of jazz. There will also be performances on the opening night in the Dunamaise Arts Centre.

The three-day event opens on Friday evening, January 30, with a headline performance by jazz guitarist Lee Meehan and his quartet at the Dunamaise.

Outside of the main stage, the organisers say the weekend focuses on making music accessible throughout Portlaoise via several free events, including:

• The Tenters Gypsy Jazz Band Portlaoise Library Friday, January 30 4:30 pm
• Indigo Mood Duo at the Dunamaise Mezzanine Friday, January 30 6:30 pm
• The Jazz Trail: Free live sessions on Saturday and Sunday in local venues.

The organisers say the Dunamaise will host a not-to-be-missed workshop by special guest, Conor Guilfoyle Octet, who will be running a free masterclass at 11 am on Saturday, January 31.

The festival was founded in 1988 and ran successfully for several years before going on a break in the mid-90s. This year’s revival, led by a local volunteer committee, aims to bring live music back to the town’s streets, libraries, and pubs.

“There has been talk about bringing the jazz festival back to Portlaoise for a long time,” said John Tynan, Festival Chairperson, in a statement to the Leinster Express / Laois Live. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Festival organisers Eamonn Dunne, Ciara O'Connell, Bob Batty, Georgina Carey, John Tynan at the Dunamaise Arts Centre.

“Many people still have great memories of the original events from thirty years ago. Our goal this year is simple: to put on a good weekend of music and get people back out into the town to enjoy it.”

The festival features a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, with performances from the Des Hopkins Dixieland Jazz Band, Square Pegs, and various local musicians.

The event runs through to Sunday, February 1.

READ ALSO: More special guests in Lovely Laois Homecoming Festival returning for 2026

The majority of the festival, including the "Jazz Trail" through the town's pubs, is free to attend. Tickets for the Lee Meehan headline concert are priced at €19.50 and can be booked through the Dunamaise Arts Centre box office. For other individual ticketed events, please contact the venue directly.

The main commercial sponsor of the 2026 Portlaoise Jazz Festival is Cummins Motor Group. Other business sponsors are The Square Bar, Ramsbottom's, Telfords, Fingleton, Peters & Tyrell, Kavangh's Bar & Venue, Portlaoise Trad Fest, Fujifilm Portlaoise, Bernie Tynan's Preschool.

Festival partners include Laois County Council, Dunamaise Arts Centre, LOETB, Arts Council, Downtown Portlaoise, Laois Chamber Alliance, Laois School of Music, Music Generation Laois.

For the full schedule and list of participating venues, visit https://portlaoisejazzfest.ie/