Kildare Jazz Fetival returns in 2026 

THE RIVERBANK Arts Centre is to host the third Kildare Jazz Festival in March as “a showcase of Irish and international talent” and will also launch a callout for the 2026 Emerging Act.

Over three days from Friday 27 March at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge, audiences can enjoy a diverse programme of jazz and workshops spanning visual art, dance, and more.

Friday will kick off with the Emerging Act, followed by the critically acclaimed Michael Buckley Quartet featuring Michael Buckley on saxophone, Greg Felton on piano, Barry Donohue on bass and Shane O’Donovan on drums.

This year, the weekend prior to the festival will feature a programme of free jazz events presented by Kildare Jazz Festival and hosted at Maynooth University, Straffan’s Barista Bike and across Newbridge.

Acts will include Cormac O’Brien and Tom Halferty, Tenters Ensemble, Bobby Mc and Oninao.

Families are invited to explore imagination through simple dance steps, swirling shapes and playful discovery with Karen Aguiar in Newbridge Town Hall.

Vocalist-producer Dorota Konchevska, bassist and guitarist Maciej Bliziński, and drummer, electronic artist, and producer Chris Hokamp bring their new collaborative project ‘Blooming Rooms’ to the stage on Saturday.

Venezuelan guitarist Orlando Molina will be joined by his quintet of world-class collaborators with Matthew Jacobson on drums, Scott Flanigan on piano, Cormac O’Brien on the double bass, and Steve Welsh (saxophones).

Award-winning vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and composer Yumi Ito, whose music moves seamlessly between jazz, art-pop, and neo-classical, will bring Saturday to a close.

Sunday offers a bilingual family concert filled with songs, stories, rírá agus ruaille buaille with Riona Sally Hartman.

Attendees can also listen to Kildare’s up and coming jazz musicians with Music Generation Kildare’s Teen Spirit Jazz Ensemble.

The festival closes with Origin Story, described by The Irish Times as “one of the freshest voices in Irish jazz ” featuring pianist Greg Felton, bassist Cormac O’Brien and drummer Matthew Jacobson.

Artist Johnny Tierney and cellist Matt Rafter will host an art workshop where participants will be encouraged to respond creatively to a live musical performance, and choreographer Mateusz Szczerek will lead participants in a dance workshop blending improvisation, rhythm and collaborative expression.

"The third edition of Kildare Jazz Festival marks our most exciting leap yet - a celebration of national and international voices, new collaborations, and a festival that now spills into a second weekend and four new venues,” announced Festival curator Kasia Eliasz.

“From solos to full ensembles, from workshops for children and adults to the meeting of jazz and visual arts, 2026 invites our community to experience jazz in more vibrant, expansive ways than ever before.” 

Kasia is an award-winning producer, director, and musician working across music, theatre, and multi-sensory performance.