Jazz and blues festival Jazz Jurassica starts today

Organisers believe the four-day jazz and blues event, Lyme's Jazz Jurassica, is one of the first live socially-distanced music festivals to go ahead across the country this year.

Jazz Jurassica will be taking place at the Marine Theatre and in Theatre Square, Lyme Regis.

Acts include Martin Harley, Leigh Coleman’s Bill Withers show, the Zoe Gilby Trio, and Zoe Schwarz.

Julie Sheppard, director of Jazz Jurassica, said: “We will stage a socially distanced festival with other appropriate Covid measures in place to keep everyone safe.

"We’ve reduced audience numbers inside the theatre and moved bigger events onto the Square outdoors. Funding from the Arts Council means we’re still financially viable even with smaller audiences."

This year Jazz Jurassica has teamed up with local internet radio station, Lyme Bay Radio, to bring events to an even wider audience. The station will anchor its weekend programming from the festival, taking a live feed from its two stages.

There will be street food stalls on both Marine Parade and on Gun Cliff Walk to feed hungry festival-goers and visitors alongside free events on Theatre Square.

Free concerts will take place from 1pm until 4.30pm on Saturday, May 29, Sunday, May 30 and Monday, May 31.

Julie added: “After 12 months of virtually no live music in the town, we want everyone to come and enjoy the real thing for free. That’ll be happening every afternoon over the weekend.

"We’ll be providing everyone with a seat so you can comfortably spend a sunny afternoon listening to some of the best local music around. And yes, it’s all free. All we ask is you observe social distancing rules. And download the NHS Track & Trace App to scan the QR code on entry. See you there”.

Weekend tickets for the event - allowing residents to watch the events at Marine Theatre - are sold out but tickets for individual events can be purchased.

For more information or to purchase your tickets, visit www.jazzjurassica.co.uk