Leith Jazz and Blues Festival 2026: All you need to know - programme, venues, how to get there
The festival is taking over 29 cafés, pubs and bars in the neighbourhood this weekend
The Leith Jazz and Blues Festival is returning this weekend with a packed, three-day programme of live music taking place across more than two dozen bars, cafés and cultural spaces in the neighbourhood.
From discovering local talent at a relaxed day-time session to dancing the night away to national and internationally acclaimed artists - there’s something in the programme for every type of jazz and blues lover.
All gigs are free to attend, but event organisers have urged people to check the details of individual venues for information on capacity and whether walk-ins or bookings are preferred.
Here’s everything you need to know about the festival.
What acts are playing?
The festival runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening, with more than 20 acts performing each day. Here’s the full programme.
Friday June 5
- 2pm: Haftor Medboe & Konrad Wisniewski, Lounge 33
- 4pm: Jed Potts, Lioness of Leith
- 4pm: Paul Paterson Trio, Victor Hugo
- 4pm: Lone Bear Duo, Old Chain Pier
- 4:30pm: The Johnson Brothers, Malt & Hops
- 5pm: Dave Toule Duo, Malones
- 5pm: Mr. Springwater Duo, Campervan
- 5pm: John Hunt, Nami
- 6pm: Ged Brockie & Dougie Urquhart, The Powder Room
- 6pm: Harry Higgs Trio, The Bonnington
- 6pm: The Lost Head Band, Toast
- 6pm: Haftor Medboe & Jessie Bates, Three Marys
- 7pm: The Dangerous Trio, Moonwake
- 7pm: Hot Tin Roof, Scotch Malt Whisky Society
- 7pm: Gary Martin Duo, Carriers Quarters
- 7pm: Pocket Collective Trio, Malt & Hops
- 7pm: Alan McKeown Organ Trio, Victor Hugo
- 7pm: Eddie Rodger (Spanish Guitar), Tapa
- 8pm: Aki Remally Trio, Bowlers Rest
- 8pm: Taj Wiz Duo, Malones
- 8pm: One Man Dancing, The Fort of Leith
- 8pm: Neil Warden & Sandy Tweedale, The Volley
- 10pm: Argyle Rhythm Duo, Lost in Leith
Saturday, June 6
- 12pm: Trio Beauvista, Victor Hugo
- 1pm: Harry Higgs, Scotch Malt Whisky Society
- 1:30pm: Jed Potts & Nicole Smit, Malt & Hops
- 2pm: Dave Milligan, Ross Milligan, Roy Percy, Bowlers Rest
- 2pm: John Hunt, Malones
- 2pm: Graeme Stephen Duo, Lounge 33
- 2pm: Mike Allan (Alt/Country), Shore Deli
- 3pm: Two From The Fridge, Moonwake
- 3pm: Webster's Ragtime Trio (From Texas!), Fingal
- 3pm: Seonaid Aitkin and Conor Smith, Victor Hugo
- 4pm: Scat Rats, The Volley
- 4pm: Ged Brockie & Dougie Urquhart, Old Chain Pier
- 4pm: Malt & Rye, Three Marys
- 4pm: Hot Tin Roof, Malt & Hops
- 5pm: Laurie Moore Trio, Bowlers Rest
- 5pm: The Johnson Brothers, Malones
- 5pm: Haftor Medboe & Jessie Bates, Campervan
- 5pm: Harry Higgs, Nami
- 5:30pm: Kevin MacKenzie & Graeme Stephen, The Powder Room
- 6pm: Mr. Springwater Duo, False Widow
- 7pm: Pocket Collective Trio, Moonwake
- 7pm: Seonaid Aitkin and Conor Smith, Scotch Malt Whisky Society
- 7pm: Phil Bancroft Standards Trio, Victor Hugo
- 7pm: One Man Dancing, Carriers Quarters
- 7pm: Argyle Rhythm Aces, Toast
- 7pm: Dave Toule Trio, Three Marys
- 7:30pm: Taj Wizz Trio, Malt & Hops
- 7:30pm: Tom & Craig Anderson, The Volley
- 7:30pm: Eddie Rodger (Spanish Guitar), Tapa
- 8pm: Tomass Mencis & Toby Mottershead, Old Chain Pier
- 8pm: Mud In Your Ear, Bowlers Rest
- 8pm: Aki Remally Trio, Malones
- 8pm: Neil Warden & Sandy Tweedale, The Fort of Leith
- 9pm: Kostis Rossos & Joshua Seex, Nobles by Bellfield
- 10pm: Lone Bear Duo, Lost in Leith
Sunday, June 7
- 1pm: Gus Munro Solo, Malones
- 1pm: Conor Smith Trio, Victor Hugo
- 1:30pm: One Man Dancing, Malt & Hops
- 2pm: Colin Steele Trio, Bowlers Rest
- 2pm: Lone Bear, Lioness of Leith
- 2pm: Eddie Rodger (Spanish Guitar), Tapa
- 2pm: Kevin MacKenzie & Mario Caribe, Lounge 33
- 3pm: Dave Toule Duo, Moonwake
- 3pm: MacFarlane & Milligan, Scotch Malt Whisky Society
- 4pm: Ross Baird and Conor Smith, Old Chain Pier
- 4pm: Jed Potts & Nicole Smit, Malones
- 4pm: The Johnson Brothers, The Volley
- 4pm: Malt & Rye, Campervan
- 4pm: Gus Munro Solo, Three Marys
- 4pm: Heartland Bluegrass Trio, Nobles by Bellfield
- 4pm: Aki Remally Trio, Malt & Hops
- 4:30pm: The Keyline Trio, Victor Hugo
- 5pm: Lone Bear, Nami
- 5:30pm: Taj Wizz Trio, Mother Superior
- 5:30pm: Geoff Rowan Duo, Brass Monkey Leith Walk
- 5:30pm: Tomass Mencis & Toby Mottershead, Lind and Lime
- 6pm: Norman Lamont & Suzy Cargill, Toast
- 6:30 pm: Gary Martin Duo, Victoria
- 7pm: Phil O’Malley & Ross Baird, Joker & the Thief
- 7pm: Subie Coleman Trio, Lioness of Leith
- 7pm: Harry Higgs, Diggers
- 7pm: Three From The Fridge, Three Marys
- 7pm: Tenement Jazz Band, Malt & Hops
- 7:30pm: Aki Remally Trio, The Bonnington
- 7:30pm: MacFarlane & Milligan, False Widow
- 8pm: The Devils Forefeit, Lind and Lime
- 8:30pm: Jed Potts & Nicole Smit, Brass Monkey Leith Walk
- 10pm: Pocket Collective Duo, Lost in Leith
Which venues are involved?
The festival is taking place across 29 venues in Leith - including cosy cafés, delis, pubs and bars. Here’s the full list.
- Bowlers Rest – 24 Mitchell Street
- Brass Monkey - Leith – 362 Leith Walk
- Campervan Taproom – 112 Jane Street
- Carriers Quarters – 42 Bernard Street
- Diggers - Leith – 7 Bernard Street
- The False Widow – 159 Constitution Street
- Fingal – Alexandra Dock Place
- Joker & The Thief – 71 Elm Row
- Lind & Lime – 24 Coburg Street
- Lioness of Leith – 21–25 Duke Street
- Lost in Leith – 82 Commercial Street
- Lounge 33 – 373–375 Leith Walk
- Malones - Leith – 48–52 Constitution Street
- Malt & Hops – 45 The Shore
- Mara – 58 The Shore
- Moonwake Brewery – 6A Tower Street
- Mother Superior – 96–98 Leith Walk
- Nami – 63 The Shore
- Nobles by Bellfield – 44A Constitution Street
- Old Chain Pier – 32 Trinity Crescent
- Scotch Malt Whisky Society - Vaults – 87 Giles Street
- The Bonnington – 284 Bonnington Road
- The Fort of Leith – 16 South Fort Street
- The Powder Room – 97–99 Broughton Road
- The Volley – 180 Leith Walk
- Three Marys – 63–65 Henderson Street
- Toast - Shore – 65 The Shore
- Victoria - Leith – 265 Leith Walk
- Victor Hugo - Leith – 36 The Shore
How do I get there?
Leith is very accessible by bus, bike and tram. Many of the venues are within walking distance of each other, making it easy to hop around.
As part of the event, a section of The Shore will be closed between 6pm on Friday and 10pm on Sunday.
That means there are a number of bus diversions in place over the weekend between these times.
The bus routes being diverted are the 16, N16, 17, 34 (northbound), 35 N35, 36.
You can find out more information on the Lothian Buses website.