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Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival with Emeli Sandé, Imelda May and Curtis Stigers celebrates its 10th anniversary on August bank holiday weekend

Get a taste of New Orleans this bank holiday as the streets of Rye come alive with jazz and blues music.

The Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer, sees a diverse programme of talented musicians perform throughout the town near the Kent/Sussex border.

Emeli Sandé will be closing this year's Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival. Picture: Chrysalis
Emeli Sandé will be closing this year's Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival. Picture: Chrysalis

This year, the festival’s main events, which are ticketed, include incredible performances from BRIT Award winner Emeli Sandé, who will be closing the festival.

The 35-year-old singer-songwriter, whose hits include Heaven, Next to Me and Read All About It, began her music career by appearing on tracks by grime artists such as Wiley and Chipmunk.

Her debut album, the eight-times platinum selling Our Version Of Events, launched Emeli’s solo career in 2012. Since then, she has performed at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics and has been awarded an MBE.

Visitors to the festival can also see performances from the likes of Curtis Stigers, Stanley Jordan, Roachford, Mud Morganfield, Imelda May and Roberto Fonseca at the St Mary’s Church venue.

Plus, the Fat Brass marching band will be parading through the streets.

There will be a combination of ticketed and free events for visitors to enjoy. Picture: Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival
There will be a combination of ticketed and free events for visitors to enjoy. Picture: Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival

There will also be a wide array of free music and entertainment from pop-up stages offering the likes of jazz, blues, roots, R&B, soul, funk, Latin and Cuban.

Free outdoor stages are at the Kino Cinema terrace and the Butter Market.

Other venues participating in the event include the Brewery Yard Club, the Grapevine Champagne and Jazz Bar, the Mermaid Inn, the Old Bell, the Ship Inn and William the Conqueror at Rye Harbour.

The jazz festival is celebrating its 10th year in Rye this August. Picture: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Live News
The jazz festival is celebrating its 10th year in Rye this August. Picture: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy Live News

The Rye International Jazz and Blues Festival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, from Thursday, August 25 to Monday, August 29.

To find out more information, click here.

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