The 2013 Swanage Jazz Festival was hailed a huge success after over 2,700 people turned out for the event.

Running from July 12 to 14, the event promised a range of jazz and rock music organised by the fans, for the fans, says the event’s artistic director, Fred Lindop.

Fred said: “The Swanage Jazz Festival started back in 1990 and has slowly grown over time. We sold around 240 tickets for the main event during its first year and around 300 tickets for the concert held in the Mowlem Theatre at the time.

He added: “This year, we sold over 1,000 ticket for Saturday, 900 for Sunday and around 850 for the opening night last Friday.

“We also had around 45 bands play live for the festival and whilst for me, it’s the music that counts, because there was something for all ages, it brings the area big economic benefits.”

Fred says that that whilst the weather was ‘amazing and brilliant’ for last weekend’s event, back in summer of 2012, the organisers nearly agreed that that would be the last year of the Swanage Jazz Festival.

“This year, we came back with a bang. We tend to have a very changeable programme of events each year, so whilst the main format of the Jazz Festival stays the same, the fact that they can see different live acts means that people come back again.”

Musicians who performed over the weekend include Shabaka Hutchings Sons of Kemet, Brass Jaw, and Dorset Youth Jazz Orchestra.

See all our pictures from the 2013 Swanage Jazz Festival in a gallery here