The organisers of the Cork Guinness Jazz Festival say they expect more than 40,000 people to attend this year's event over the October bank holiday weekend. The fans are expected to contribute over €25 million to the local economy.
According to Guinness festival manager Rory Sheridan, this year's festival, which is building on the success of last year's event during Cork's tenure as European Capital of Culture, is expected to attract a large number of overseas visitors.
"Last year we broke all attendance records and this year it is shaping to go even better. We expect a big overseas presence at the festival, with hundreds of fans coming into Cork from all over the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia."
Mr Sheridan added: "They will be joined by big groups of fans from the USA and as far away as Abu Dhabi, South Africa and Australia.".
He said that hotel accommodation difficulties had been eased by the availability of more than 500 extra bedrooms in new hotels in the city.Violinist Nigel Kennedy, who had been due to play with his acclaimed jazz quintet, has had to withdraw after suffering an accident. The line-up includes Branford Marsalis, Little Jimmy Scott, Joe Lovano, Randy Weston, Courtney Pine, and the Mingus Dynasty Band.
Tickets are on sale at all the major Cork theatres for what promises to be another well received festival. The organisers say tickets are selling very quickly. The full 2006 line-up can be downloaded from the festival website: www.guinness jazzfestival.com