2026 Festival Events

Two festivalgoers smile with champagne flutes at the JAM festival opening reception.

Festival Launch

8 July · Wed · 5pm

The Assembly Rooms · New Romney

The festival opens with a conversation and a glass of fizz. Join the Festival Curator Edward Armitage BEM for an informal preview of the 2026 festival: the ideas, the premieres, the programme.

Bold yellow "Much Ado About Nothing" lettering over a masked figure — Changeling Theatre production artwork.

Changeling Theatre

8 July · Wed · 7pm

The Old School Garden · New Romney

Opening the festival, Changeling Theatre bring Shakespeare's sharpest romcom, Much Ado About Nothing, played with glitz, glamour and scandal. Bring a picnic, a rug and a sense of mischief.

Hands on the keys of a grand piano, a double-exposure layering the pianist’s arms, at the JAM Festival.

Thomas Kelly & John Frederick Hudson

9 July · Thu · 7pm

St Leonard · Hythe

Sharing a single piano for an evening of four-hand repertoire, a world premiere from Hudson opens the programme and closes with Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

Rebecca Lodge-Birkebaek conducting the Sunflower Singers community choir at the JAM Festival.

Sunflower Singers at Snargate

10 July · Fri · 11am

St Dunstan · Snargate

A coffee concert with JAM's community choir, the Sunflower Singers, led by Rebecca Lodge-Birkebaek. Expect folk songs, musical theatre, a cappella rounds and pop, and a few surprises along the way.

Cyril Ibrahim, soloist in the Ravel Piano Concerto, in a quiet moment at the Steinway.

JAM Sinfonia

10 July · Fri · 7pm

St Nicholas · New Romney

JAM Sinfonia takes the stage with two reimagined masterworks: Ravel's Piano Concerto with pianist Cyrill Ibrahim, and Debussy's La Mer. Both in brand-new arrangements commissioned by JAM from Timothy Jackson and Julian Durrand.

Ryan Corbett with his accordion, leaning against iron railings on a London street.

Into the Bellows

11 July · Sat · 11am

St Nicholas · New Romney

Three composers arrived at JAM in May. In July, Ryan Corbett (one of the leading performers of his generation) premieres three new works for accordion, written by the sea.

Actor-baritone Alexander Armstrong and soprano Claire Booth — paired promotional portraits for The Roaring 20s.

The Roaring 20s

11 July · Sat · 7pm

St Nicholas · New Romney

The 1920s, sung and told. Alexander Armstrong, Claire Booth and Andrew Matthews-Owen take us through Noel Coward, Ivor Novello and the Great American Songbook. Script by Christine Croshaw.

Violinist Fenella Humphreys with her instrument, studio portrait in soft grey light.

Fenella Humphreys

12 July · Sun · 11am

St Clement · Old Romney

Violinist Fenella Humphreys brings a solo recital of Bach's great Ciaconna at its heart, framed by Biber, Sally Beamish, Caroline Shaw and Anna Berg. Three centuries on one instrument.

Black Dyke Band cornet and flugelhorn players mid-performance in red-and-gold uniforms.

Black Dyke Band

12 July · Sun · 3pm

St Nicholas · New Romney

Black Dyke Band will excite JAM’s audience ahead of their 2026 BBC Proms appearance. Strauss, Mealor, Respighi and Malcolm Arnold, with a three-part soloist showcase.

Two festivalgoers laughing together in the sunshine, one in a straw sunhat, at the farewell drinks.

Festival Farewell

12 July · Sun · 4:30pm

The Old School Garden · New Romney

The festival closes with music, friends and a glass in hand. Join the festival curator, the week's artists and the audience who made it happen for farewells and first thoughts on 2027.

With thanks to our funders

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