Marsden Jazz Festival is a well established arts organisation with an annual three-day festival that takes place on the second weekend of October from Friday to Sunday. Marsden Jazz Festival is known for its free events and Saturday parade, its strong support for contemporary jazz (New Stream) and its support for youth jazz - providing a platform in the festival for around 20 youth big bands and jazz bands. In 2016 Marsden Jazz Festival celebrated 25 years of jazz in the Yorkshire Pennines. In that time it has contributed significantly to the regeneration of Marsden. Marsden is located on the Trans Pennine railway, just 13 minutes from Huddersfield. There are direct services to Staybridge and Manchester stations. It is also on an hourly bus service from Manchester and Oldham, with regular services to Huddersfield until around 23.30 daily.. Marsden is a village of about 5.000 people at the head of the Colne Valley next to the Pennine Way and the Huddersfield Narrow canal. It is surrounded by National Trust moorland and sheep. As one visitor described the festival "imagine Montreux meets Dibley".