Biggar Django Festival 2026 | Saturday Tickets

SATURDAY, 20 JUNE 2026

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.

What's on Saturday?

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* Open to the public
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! 

Venue: The Gillespie Centre, 74 High St, Biggar ML12 6BJ *Limited places available – first come, first served. Book your place here.

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