OFFERING some light at the end of the tunnel for music lovers currently missing out on live performances, a new jazz festival has been announced to take place in Leyburn in October next year.

Leyburn Jazz Festival will take place on the weekend of October 22-24, 2021, with performances centred at Tennants Garden Rooms. Tennants are generously sponsoring the event at their spectacular venue, which is increasingly hosting important musical events.

Venues in Leyburn town centre will also host performances, and a marching jazz band is planned for the Saturday.

The organisers are the Leyburn and Mid-Wensleydale Partnership Ltd, the not-for-profit company behind other successful events in the town such as the popular 1940s Weekend, which attracts visitors from all over the country.

Company director Gerald Hodgson is looking forward to the festival, and said: “I know it is a long time ahead but it is great to be offering musicians a glimpse of good cheer in the future.”

The Leyburn and Mid Wensleydale Partnership is being advised by Neil Dutton, a trustee of the charity Jazz North and a resident in West Witton near Leyburn. Primarily responsible for the selection of the bands Neil saids: “This is a really exciting project and I am delighted to be involved.

“We've already signed up some world class artists and look forward to unveiling our full programme in due course.”