Biggar Django Festival 2026 | Day Tickets

FRIDAY 19 JUNE  |  SATURDAY 20 JUNE  |  SUNDAY 21 JUNE

Biggar Django Festival – Where Musicians and Community Meet

Biggar Django Festival is a weekend for musicians, music-lovers, and friends of the Django tradition to come together. Three days of live sets, workshops, film, dance, and jam sessions – all in the spirit of sharing, learning, and celebrating Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz. Whether you play, dance, or simply listen, this is a festival built by and for the community.

Get your day tickets here!

£20 FRIDAY 19 JUNE

THE GATHERING @Arcadia Music Cafe BYOB 

12 – 3 pm EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
12 pm MEET, GREET & PLAY 
Ease into the festival with a relaxed welcome, meet & greet. Bring your own drinks, hang out, chat, and meet other musicians and music fans. Grab some merchandise early, you know you’ll want a T-Shirt!

1 – 2 pm OPEN WORKSHOP
Join our local musicians for a laid-back, hands-on session exploring guitar ideas like the CAGED system beyond the basics and swing/jazz concepts. No pressure, bring your instrument and a drink – dip in and out as you like, and enjoy plenty of space to try things out, swap ideas, and pick up practical tips. 

2 - 3 pm OPEN JAM
Another chance to play, chat, and unwind together in a relaxed setting. Please note: this session wraps up around 3 pm before a break ahead of our evening concert.

7 – 10 pm BIG FRIDAY SWING SESH
An evening of live music featuring guest artists and festival performers. Bring your own drinks, eats and good humour. Whether it's Gypsy Jazz or Trad, you can sign up via the website form for a chance to perform with the house band. 

...and when the bands hang up their strings, stick around to JAM or mingle – anything could happen! Then head to the pub to catch the fitba!

Venue: Arcadia Music Cafe, 1 Howieson Square (off High St) Biggar, ML12 6DP

£30 SATURDAY 20 JUNE

12 – 1 pm FREE FILM Django Legacy*
Directed and produced by John Jeremy for Jazzology Productions, this 1991 UK documentary (52 mins) offers a vivid portrait of Django Reinhardt’s lasting influence. Filmed across France, Holland and the UK, it brings together leading musicians, rare archival footage and narration by Sacha Distel to create a compelling tribute to Django’s life and music. This special festival screening is taken from John’s own high‑quality archival master, digitised in 2021 from the National Film and Television Archive – a significant step up from the VHS‑sourced versions found online. Presented with the director’s arrangement, a portion of the licence fee supports the charity Family Friends Travellers.

Venue: Biggar Corn Exchange, 126 High St, Biggar, ML12 6DL *Limited places available – first come, first served. Remember to add the film when purchasing your ticket!

 2 – 4 pm FREE WORKSHOP DANCE Swing & Lindy Hop* 
Join Cathy Harrison & Michael Joyce from Vintage Tap & Swing to learn some fun Lindy Hop moves and classic Swing Era styles. No experience? No problem – we’ll get you started and ready to take to the floor at Sunday’s live band social dance. Wear comfortable clothing, smooth soled shoes and bring water. No need to come with a partner. Prepare to laugh and let your feet be happy! Open to the public.

Venue: The Gillespie Centre, 74 High St, Biggar ML12 6BJ *Limited places available – first come, first served, when the workshop is released.

 2 – 5 pm DJANGO JAM SESSION 
Everyone’s welcome at The Crown for an easy-going Django‑inspired jam. Bring your instrument or just come along to enjoy the music, the company, and some fine whisky as players gather for a relaxed afternoon celebrating Django’s legacy.

Venue: The Crown Inn, 109-111 High St, Biggar ML12 6DL

2:30 – 3.30 pm FREE WORKSHOP GUITAR Le Pompe in Traditional Music*
Led by guitarist Jim MacKay – a key figure in Scotland’s Gypsy Jazz and traditional music scenes, and organiser of Glasgow’s longest‑running Gypsy Jazz session at Babbity Bowster – this session shows how the driving strum and percussive feel of La Pompe can be adapted to Scottish and Irish traditional music. Jim’s experience spans Gypsy Jazz, Rock and Trad, with current projects including Celtic Django Project, Chardon Bleu, Bloom, Ardoch Ceilidh Band and more, bringing a wealth of real‑world ensemble knowledge to the room.
Working alongside fiddle player Martin Macleod, Jim will share essential strumming techniques, rhythmic feel, chord shapes and stylistic variations. You’ll apply these ideas to Marches, Strathspeys and Reels, and learn how to adapt accompaniment confidently in group or session settings.
Venue: Arcadia Music Cafe, 1a Howieson Square (off High St), Biggar, ML12 6DP *Limited places available – first come, first served. Remember to add the workshop when purchasing your ticket!

HEADLINE ACT ROBIN NOLAN TRIO 
7:30 pm LOCAL ARTISTS
8:30 pm ROBIN NOLAN TRIO play For the Love of George 
We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Robin Nolan, one of the world’s leading gypsy jazz guitarists, to the very first Biggar Django Festival. Known for his effortless swing, distinctive tone, and deep connection to Django Reinhardt’s legacy, Robin brings a rare blend of tradition and individuality to the stage. Joining him are two outstanding musicians in their own right: Chris Quinn, whose clarity, drive, and instinctive musicality make him an exceptional rhythm and solo guitarist, and John Wheatcroft, a bassist with a superb feel for time, texture, and ensemble playing. Together, they form a trio with real depth and rapport. They'll be playing music from Robin’s acclaimed album For the Love of George, weaving gypsy jazz with fresh interpretations of George Harrison’s songs. Expect a performance that’s dynamic, thoughtful, and full of the kind of musical conversation that only happens between players who truly listen to one another.

Venue: Biggar Corn Exchange, 126 High St, Biggar, ML12 6DL

LATE NIGHT JAM SESSION
Everyone is welcome! Following our headline performance by Robin Nolan Trio, the music continues with an informal jam session. Stay on to take part in – or simply enjoy –  spontaneous collaborations and improvisation between local and visiting musicians in a relaxed, late-night setting.

Venue: Biggar Corn Exchange, 126 High St, Biggar, ML12 6DL

£30 SUNDAY 21 JUNE
11 am – 2 pm DJANGO JAM SESSION
Everyone’s welcome at The Elph for an easy-going Django‑inspired jam. Bring your instrument or just come along to enjoy the music, the company, and some fine whisky as players gather to celebrate Django’s legacy.

Venue: The Elphinstone, 145 High St, Biggar ML12 6DL

2 – 3:30 pm FREE WORKSHOP GUITAR Django Improvisation
Learn Django‑style improvisation with John Wheatcroft, Principal Lecturer (Guitar) at BIMM London. This in‑depth session explores core technique, arpeggio shapes, rhythmic power and the expressive phrasing at the heart of Gypsy Jazz. John draws on experience gained from performing with Biréli Lagrène, Billy Cobham, Alex Acuña, John Williams, Frank Gambale, Paco Peña, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, Paulus Schäfer and Mozes Rosenberg, offering practical insights you can immediately apply to your own playing. John also appears at Biggar Django Festival on upright bass for Robin Nolan Trio.

Venue: Arcadia Music Cafe, 1 Howieson Square (off High St) Biggar, ML12 6DP *Limited places available – first come, first served. Remember to add the workshop when purchasing your ticket!

 2 – 4 pm FREE LIVE BAND SOCIAL DANCE Swing & Lindy Hop
Enjoy a lively social dance with CHARDON BLEU led by Stephen Tyler, featuring upbeat swing, welcoming Lindy Hop vibes and a full‑band festival buzz. Visiting musicians are encouraged to join the band, with a set list to be announced – bring your own charts, iPads and stands to slot straight into the band’s groove. Open to the public.

Venue: The Gillespie Centre, 74 High St, Biggar ML12 6BJ *Limited places available – first come, first served, when this workshop is released.
 
4 – 5 PM  FREE WORKSHOP Fiddle
Join award‑winning violinist, vocalist and composer Seonaid Aitken for a hands-on fiddle masterclass exploring technique, expressive style, and creative approaches rooted in Scottish and Gypsy Jazz traditions, including improvisation, ornamentation, and ensemble playing.

Venue: Arcadia Music Cafe, 1 Howieson Square (off High St) Biggar, ML12 6DP *Limited places available – first come, first served. Remember to add the workshop when purchasing your ticket!

HEADLINE ACT SEONAID AITKEN’S MANOUCHE NOUVEAU
7:30 pm The Manouchetones 
A Liverpool‑based Gypsy Jazz ensemble specialising in 1930s Hot Club swing, Latin jazz and Django Reinhardt originals. Micky Dunn, Karl Webb and John Wheatcroft deliver vibrant arrangements, tight ensemble playing and an irresistibly warm stage presence that brings classic swing to life for festival audiences.
8:30 pm  SEONAID AITKEN’S Manouche Nouveau
Closing the festival in unforgettable style, Seonaid Aitken leads Manouche Nouveau with a fresh, modern take on Gypsy Jazz. Joined by the virtuosic guitarists Ross Baird and Ronan Toal, and the soulful Roy Percy on upright bass, they craft a spellbinding blend of Django-inspired swing, contemporary chamber-jazz textures, and lyrical improvisation. Together, the band infuses the tradition with new energy, nuance, and cinematic colour, delivering a richly atmospheric, beautifully crafted performance. A leading figure in Scotland’s jazz and traditional music scenes, and BBC broadcaster, Seonaid is well known for her work with Rose Room and her distinctive blend of classical training, swing sensibility and folk influence. This headline set is a captivating journey, showcasing Seonaid’s expressive artistry and the band’s dynamic chemistry, perfectly rounding off the festival weekend in style.

Venue: Biggar Corn Exchange, 126 High St, Biggar, ML12 6DL
 
LATE NIGHT JAM SESSION
Everyone’s invited! After Sunday night’s main gig with Seonaid Aitken’s Manouche Nouveau, stay behind for more music, improvisation, and collaborative jams with local and visiting musicians 

Venue: Biggar Corn Exchange, 126 High St, Biggar, ML12 6DL