UK Folk Festivals - England

Folk tradition and folk music. Folk dancing. Straw Bear Parade.

Often the first festival of the year.

The Straw Bear Festival celebrates the old Fenland plough custom of parading straw bears around the town every January.

A popular winter break of folk dancing, music and fun for all abilities, led by a friendly and experienced team who'll make sure you have an enjoyable stay!

There will be music workshops every day.

There will be a range of activities to keep you entertained including daily music and dance workshops, plus bell ringing, singing and afternoon walks for those who want to get out into the fresh air. Dances every evening, with the option for you to play in the band or call a dance should you so wish, before retiring to the bar to enjoy the convivial relaxed atmosphere of the manor.

With three days and three stages, 33 acts are here to entertain you.

Quite a line-up too!

One of the first folk festivals of the year!

32nd anniversary of the longest running Cajun festival in Europe.
Featuring the best bands and musicians from around the world for a weekend of non-stop partying, music, dancing, workshops, and authentic Cajun cuisine.

I suppose this counts as American folk music, sort of.
?
Friends of American Old-Time Music and Dance (FOAOTMAD for short!) was founded in 1993 with the aim of furthering the promotion and performance of traditional old-time music and dance in the UK. We organise regular music camps, residential workshops, dance parties and support for many other formal and informal old-time events. We have a proud history of encouraging and supporting the best artists from American, Canada, UK and Europe during their visits to the UK.

We have many performances from many acts in 16 venues, as well as storytelling, arts & crafts, talks, morris dancing, open mics and folk music sessions!

Except it will mainly be streaming, apart from workshops.

More info to follow, they say.

Not a festival but a harp weekend with workshops and sessions.

Dive into the fantastic world of folk harp playing. Harpists are welcome to join us for a weekend of harp workshops and sessions with tutors Steph West and Merit Zloch. This is our first weekend of what we hope will be an annual weekend dedicated to harp playing in a folk context.

2026 is the 76th Anniversary!

The country's longest continually running folk festival. We warmly welcome folkies from around the globe and we really hope you'll be there too! The Festival is particularly aimed at students, but it is open to everyone. Whatever style you go for, you're bound to find like-minded people waiting to meet you. Over the years we've enjoyed a wide range of dances and ceilidhs including Scottish Country, Highland, Morris, Rapper Sword, Irish, and Playford and many, many, more.

The day features afternoon and evening concerts, a lively ceilidh, dance displays, and sessions catering to a range of abilities.

A real ale bar and home-cooked food will be available throughout the event and the venue is dog friendly.?

All the performers at the Bursfest have kindley donated their perfomance free of charge in support of The Village Hall centinary fund . Half of the profits and donations on the day will go directly to this fund. This will help the Trustees to ensure the continued enjoyment and improvement of the hall into the next century. The other half of the profits will go to our nominated charity. Which this year is Shine.

Now in its 3rd year.
The events take place inside the Regal Cinema.

A major country and western event in the UK, taking place in London, Glasgow and Belfast. The first event was in London, in 2013.

This is the London event. Loads of artists, and lots of ticket prices.

Manchester Folk Festival is a major new festival of English folk and acoustic roots music. From songs of struggle to joyful reels, from traditional to experimental, the festival will celebrate contemporary folk as it straddles genres, embraces cultures and absorbs new influences.

An urban festival. A gathering of all kinds of folk.

With craft workshops, pub sing-arounds and in-conversations with artists.

HOME is the festival hub, and nearby Gorilla, The Ritz and The International Anthony Burgess Foundation will also host gigs.

Multiple venues.

One day event at the club's regular venue The Poppy & Pint pub. Afternoon and evening concerts, a bar session in between, and a sing around to finish off the day. Individual concert and combination tickets are available.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

Hopefully more details will be available soon.

For the 59th time!
So it's been around for a while

The festival includes a vast array of competitions including crafts, performance and writing. Events of local interest nave been added to the programme of concerts, sing arounds, barn dance, storytelling. theatre and street performance which includes a young people's pageant as part of the Border Cavalcade.

The emphasis of the Gathering is firmly upon the native traditions of Northumberland and. whilst there is plenty of scope for traditional music from all over the British Isles within the festival, the wealth of local culture is well to the fore.

The previous festival in Oxford has stopped operating but a new group has formed and sprung into action. Support them strongly and buy a ticket, as soon as prices are announced.

This is it's third year under the new group.

A popular event that slipped off our lists for a few years, but it's back with a great line-up now.

A newish festival, it began in 2017 featuring American Oldtime and Bluegrass festival.
So while not a pure folk festival, it has some America-style folk music. Worth a visit, as it is not exactly expensive especially if you just go for one day.

And when it's big and famous, you can tell your kids you were there at the beginning.

Closely following the long-established Eastbourne format, May Heydays offers an enjoyable bank holiday weekend mix of different folk dance traditions from many parts of the world.

We do like to find you something different every now and then..

Scandimoot offers one of the best opportunities you will find in the UK to learn tunes and dances from Scandinavian teachers. Each year we pick exceptional music and dance teachers from Norway and Sweden to come to this small, intimate event in Yorkshire. With such intensive work the standard of both your music and your dancing rapidly improves.

With an interesting line-up, this festival is just 17 miles up the road from Manchester.

The largest Morris based folk festival in the Midlands with Concerts, Ceilidhs, storytelling, plenty of pub sessions for music & song and a huge dance procession on Sunday. Happens every year, first Bank Holiday in May.

Folk on the Pier is held every year at the Pavilion Theatre on Cromer Pier in Cromer, Norfolk, on England's beautiful east coast. Described by Fairport Convention's Dave Pegg as "the best gig on the North Sea", Folk on the Pier is a highly regarded showcase for the finest folk, and folk-rock acts from the UK and beyond. Details of this year's line-up can be found on the Who's Playing page.

Number 49 !
A weekend of concerts, with ceilidh, folk clubs and Morris dancing. Weekend tickets available via the website. A lot of pubs have free entry music from a very broad definition of "folk". A community town centre festival with something for everyone.

Experience the Bradford on Avon Green Man Festival, a vibrant, family-friendly community gathering featuring traditional dance, music, song, and folklore throughout the town centre on Saturday 10 May 2025 (9.30am to 6pm). And the best part is, its free!
Witness over 50 dance groups, including 500 dancers and 120 musicians, featuring Morris dancing and diverse European styles.
Join the whimsical journey of our 10ft tall Jack in the Green and Jill in the Green, visiting 12 town centre venues with bands and fantasy beasts.
You'll can also discover the kid's zone, artisan market, community hub, pagan arts and crafts.
Groove to a samba band, mummers' play, Folk Club stage, Wiltshire Music Centre stage, Blues @ The Shoes stage, live pub music, buskers and more!
The full programme is available on the BoA Green Man Festival website: boagreenmanfest.org
The BoA Green Man Festival has something for everyone - so dress up for the day and really get into the swing of things

A festival of traditional music and dance taking place on May 09th in the picturesque town of Whitchurch, Hampshire.

Spread across a dozen local venues

Includes a free fringe music stage and free events and family activities which are open to all (no festival ticket required).

Wood is an award-winning festival of music and nature held in the beautiful Chiltern Hills, Oxfordshire. Alongside a full programme of musical artists on two stages, Wood hosts two days of talks and interviews in Kindling, and runs over 50 workshops and activities across the Workshop Village, the Teen Tent, and the Kids Tent. We hope you can join us and be a part of our mission to connect with nature and build community through music and the arts.

We think this on is on, but it said "planning"

A words and music festival with a very interesting lineup. It's a sister festival to Words & Music. Celebrating folk, roots and even Americana, with international names turning up.

If you can get there, I'm sure you will enjoy it!

But the website doesn't make clear the start and finish dates - so you will have to contact them. Or scroll down to see the tickets section and the dates.

A multi-award winning creative and performing arts festival set in the beautiful grounds of Catton Hall in the heart of the National Forest.
The Midlands largest performing and creative arts festival.

Includes some folk bands.

Winner of several festival awards over recent years.

A new one for us.

The festival will be held at 4 venues across the idyllic village of Hutton Rudby in May. Finn Forster, Black Sheep Band, Counterfeit Celts and Keith Newby will be part of the line-up for this festival among many others. A craft fair will feature on the Saturday.

In addition to music acts, there will be a folk craft fair, several bars / pubs with food and music and a large family style event at our Cricket Club venue.

Concerts, Ceilidhs, workshops, singarounds, sessions, displays, craft fair, family events, children's entertainment.

This is a very popular long-running event.

Also has an event in February

One of the liveliest festivals in the Southwest when the whole town comes alive with music, dance and colour.

Over 180 artists confirmed across 6 venues and every town centre street. Weekend tickets and camping available.

New to our lists this year. But it's been around since 2019 as far as we can tell, but covid meant it disappeared for a couple of years, of course, before returning in 2023.

It says it is a folk-rock festival. But has had some well known names at previous events.

An annual celebration of music and arts in the beautiful landscape of the three northernmost Yorkshire Dales - Swaledale, Wensleydale and Arkengarthdale.

A music festival that brings a heady mix of concerts to chapels and churches, village halls and pubs, castles and barns in the glorious northern Yorkshire Dales. And talks; and exhibitions; and guided walks...

A mixture of music styles, includes acoustic and folk.

A mixed styles event, covering Cajun, Soul, Rock + Roll, Blues, Roots and Country. We have a policy of including some random events with some music that could be considered as folkish, and several of the above do meet our rules.

Celebrating its 11th year. So must be good.

A festival for fans of piping.

With concerts, dances and workshops, manufacturers, and sessions. Everything the bagpipe fan would want, in one place.

Site not fully updated for this year.

20th birthday.
A multi-media festival, covering a variety of styles, includes several groups popular at folk festivals. Take a look at the band list as there are a variety of genres at this festival.

Over 100 bands on four stages, and real ale festival too.

Includes dance, sessions, celidh, workshops, and music, all set in the delightful surroundings of Weymouth's old harbour

With over 30 live stage performances throughout Saturday and Sunday this is without doubt not one to be missed!
Kicking off on Friday afternoon and evening with singalong folk music sessions in the harbourside pubs, the main festival lasts the whole of Saturday and Sunday with around 30 Morris sides dancing in the streets along the harbourside, fabulous trade stalls, eating, drinking, laughing singing and dancing all weekend long. When the harbour lights go on, the fun and music carries on in the harbourside pubs, way into the night. The challenge is to do the whole weekend and make it to the Survivors' Night on Sunday night at the Sailor's Return!

Come for the music, the local brew and the stunning location. Come for a good time!

The festival is run by volunteers, and money raised is used to improve facilities /features in the venue (the church is no longer used for worship but used by the community for events and music).

The main events are on the Saturday. These will consist of a day of dance in the City Centre, a day of music with free showcase performances in local pubs and other venues, sessions and singarounds and a festival concert in the Maltings Arts Theatre.

Full details not yet available.

Has three main aims in life

To create an enjoyable event for all involved

To raise money for the RNLI

To preserve and promote the maritime heritage of Falmouth and Cornwall.

Probably the largest free nautical music and song festival in Europe!

A new group of Wimborne residents and business folk have come together to proceed with the mammoth task of organising the next festival, and so far it is full steam ahead with plans to continue the legendary festival!
Traditional English and Celtic music and dance. Celidhs, Dance displays, children's entertainers, Market stalls.

Three days of folk, family & fun last weekend in the summer sunshine!

Beardy Folk Festival is a new, beautifully crafted, Midsummer music weekend boasting a brilliant line up of contemporary, traditional and acoustic indie folk music.

here's so much to see and do around the festival site with children's entertainment, a fabulous food court, real ale, cider and cocktail bars, circus workshops, traditional rides, climbing wall, yoga and a small trade village. We also have a woodland walk & some enchanted woods hosting children's activities and storytelling.

There will be around 50 events taking place in the village of Lymm including dance, drama, music, comedy and literature. During the Festival, Lymm celebrates the wealth and diversity of talents to be found amongst the members of the community, and provides plenty of opportunities for exploring and enjoying the local environment.

With music of all kinds, dance, drama, spoken word, comedy, visual arts and crafts

Country music in Yorkshire.

We often include somoething that isn't your traditional folk festival, and country music is sort of folky. So here it is.

There has been a folk festival in the beautiful market town of Beverley every year since 1983, hosting countless legendary performances by hundreds of artists, helping to create the flourishing live music scene we have in the town today, and putting our town very much on the map.

Gobefest, Manchester's original urban folk music and dance festival with strong Central and Eastern European leanings, is back.

Established in 2017, Gobefest has its roots firmly in Transylvania and Hungary, but over the years has expanded its reach to cherry pick some of the finest performing artists from around the Carpathian Basin and beyond.

The weekend promises an expertly curated mix of bands and solo artists, folk dance troupes, choirs and more. Independent food and drink traders will be serving up favourites from around the Carpathian Basin, from giant pans of goulash, to the fried flat breads known as langos and Transylvanian barbecued chimney cakes.

Alongside craft beer, there will also be a Hungarian wine stall and a palinka (Hungarian fruit brandy) bar. Free activities in the family tent include music and dance workshops, storytelling and crafts.

A Gobe is a friendly word for a 'crafty Szekely'.

A weekend of dance and music
in this lovely cathedral city.

Dances - Displays - Workshops - Morris Tours

Not much info on their site when we last checked.
But if they need help, they could contact me...

They do have a Facebook page however.

20th anniversary
A weekend event showcasing 15 to 20 local and independent music's best bands. Our goal is to create a reasonably priced, small summer music festival that provides an overwhelmingly positive, comfortable and fun, family experience for both attendees and musicians in a beautiful countryside setting for around 500 people. We also aim to support local young musicians by providing a stage for them.

Music-lovers can look forward to a great day out this summer, as the 9th Bury St Edmunds Folk Festival once again brings its own brand of magic to the town.
The one-day event will be in the walled garden at Nowton Park. With craft stalls, children's activities, music workshops, hot food and a bar with local real ales, this promises to be a wonderful day for the whole family.
The festival is organised by Bury Folk Collective, a not-for-profit group which promotes a diverse range of excellent local folk acts at events throughout the year.

As well as the main stage acts, there will be an Acoustic Tent with beginners' music workshops, informal sessions and a competition for newcomers to folk performance. This is a great space to try making music yourself in a relaxed and friendly way.

Full disabled access to site, reserved viewing area and toilet facilities

The New Forest Folk Festival is the small festival with the big names. Located to the north of The New Forest National Park near Southampton it's an ideal venue for campers with it's riverside campsite and unspoilt farm setting. The site opens Thursday lunchtime to allow travel and a chance to relax for the afternoon before the music begins. Additional attractions include local trade and craftsfolk, and of course local ale.

Real Music, Real Ale, Real Field.
Taking place in the heart of Norfolk near to the village of West Acre, the "Folk in a Field Festival" brings together a diverse mix of performers from the acoustic, folk and roots music scene. The rural setting of the festival, surrounded by woodland, contributes to a real get away from it all vibe in which to enjoy some great music, take in interesting craft demonstrations, craft stalls or sample local food.

A general arts festival, with a variety of types of events, including some folk music.

(There's often a separate Folk Festival in February.)

Back with a new domain name - looks like they forgot to renew the old one.
Not a lot of info on the website yet, however, apart from the list of performers.

Let's hope they continue to exist.

Roots music from both sides of the Atlantic - Americana Music

"One of the friendliest, most sincere festivals in England... fine music, great fun, delightful people and an idyllic rural setting" said The Telegraph

A new festival in 2016, it's back for July yet again.

Spend a chilled-out day enjoying the nation's favourite folk artists in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside.

This is a one-day event with 4 separate venues including free events on the village green. Main stage has 3 ticketed concerts and there are workshops and a continuous concert in the 13th century church.

This is a roadshow, that occurs in several locations.

We've included a few of them, but if you want to see the whole list, remove the location in the url, and you go to the roadshow's own website.

Continuing our occasional festival that's not quite folk policy. (But it has got blues...)
Surrounded by the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds, the Festival is set in the award winning grounds and Great Hall of this Elizabethan stately home.
Could this be the most breathtaking place to spend a weekend, soaking up the UK's hottest jazz and blues acts?

With its beautiful cathedral towering majestically above the surrounding countryside, the City of Ely lies in the heart of the Cambridgeshire Fens, famed for spectacular sunsets and the vast open sky. What better location for a weekend of the best in folk music and dance?

The Folk Festival is based on a single site which includes marquees, camping facilities, food stalls, trade stands, real-ale bar, real toilets, showers, children's entertainment.

The festival was originally founded to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North York Moors National Park, and is now a fully independent event attracting music lovers from the local community, and around the folk world.
We encourage local performers from the Yorkshire/ North east region and, in addition ,have included many of the great names of 'Acoustic and Folk' familiar to folk fans. Concerts, Workshops, Song and Music Sessions

A friendly festival held in the idyllic setting of our Village Green high on the beautiful Mendip Hills AONB near Wells in Somerset. This festival has a reputation for exciting new folk. In the past we have had Kan, Treacherous Orchestra, and Flook. Some names booked already include the Will Pound Band and Nizlopi. The weekend also provides great music, and dance, workshops, yoga sessions, club tent, an excellent craft and traders market, guided archaeology walks, a full programme of children's entertainment and much more

In the streets and in venues all around the town the best of local performers bring you folk, jazz, blues and world music, colourful dance displays and children's entertainment.

The Beggars Fair has been running since 1993 and is living up to its aims of showcasing local talent in a friendly environment. From big bands on the Cornmarket stage to intimate acoustic music in tranquil gardens, cheerful pub sessions and spellbinding storytelling, the day has a great atmosphere that keeps bringing people (and performers!) back year after year.

Something just a bit different.

An explosion of bands and performers combining brass with folk, opera, dance and spectacular outdoor theatre descends on County Durham to fill some stunning venues and City streets with music and fantastic visual effects. With new, cutting edge collaborations, digital trails and established and emerging bands trumping brass in every genre imaginable, it's a feast of international cultures and sounds.

On a new site, check website.

It's about people coming together to eat, drink and make music. It is not a traditional music festival.

Lots of ales and concerts, open mike and sessions in the bar. Even some morris dancing. Small craft fair.

Also known as Folklincs Humberfest

This annual event has become a cornerstone of North Lincolnshire's cultural calendar.
this annual event has become a cornerstone of North Lincolnshire's cultural calendar.

Feature an eclectic mix of performances, workshops, and community activities.

Attendees can look forward to live music from both established and emerging folk artists, offering a diverse range of traditional and contemporary sounds. In addition to the musical lineup, the festival will offer interactive workshops, providing opportunities for participants to engage with various aspects of folk arts and roots music.

A village-based festival in the Forest of Dean with concerts, Morris dancing, village fete, busking, poetry and storytelling, ceilidh dance, song writing competition, live comedy, and a folk walk on the Sunday. Happens every year, third Saturday in July.

The 17th is acoustic only the 18th includes PA systems.

Folk by the Oak is just outside of London but it feels a million miles away, surrounded by the leafy green parkland of Hatfield Park, where you will be immersed in music, history, ancient oaks, bunting, fun and laughter.

With the music alternating between 2 stages in one arena there's no FOMO at Folk by the Oak - From the intimacy of their Acorn Stage to the open-air festival buzz of the Main Stage, you can enjoy all the award-winning musicians and inspiring new talent in one memorable day.

The festival supports a local charity - Willow Foundation. They work to provide special days out for seriously ill young adults.

Vintage Tent :: Craft Tent :: Family Friendly atmosphere with Children's Activities :: Music Stalls :: Recycled Gifts :: Delicious Food :: Real Ale bar

Many big names come to this one day event, which in 2024 will be headlined by Levellers, plus Sekou Keita's Homeland Band, The Young'uns, Furrow Collective, Beans on Toast, Malin Lewis Trio, Grace Smith Trio and more.

Singers and musicians, street entertainers and Morris dancers - it seems that anybody and everybody who enjoys folk music heads for Warwick in July each year.

Since its humble beginnings in 1979, the annual Warwick Folk Festival has developed into one of the most highly regarded folk events on the national and international scene, attracting fans from all over Britain and as far afield as the USA and Australia

Not much info on the site yet.

THE World Music event.
International music resonates throughout the grounds, bounces off trees in the Arboretum, whirls through the green arena and dashes across acres of beautiful grass land which becomes the camping grounds during the last weekend in July. It is truly a unique event and we suggest you come along and experience the beauty for yourself.

The festival supports several charities.

A fair number of morris related sides, workshops, music sessions, headline gigs, ceilidhs and barn dances, performance and story telling, artisans, a children's area and loads more are already booked.

This is a boutique folk festival, organised by a volunteer committee - musicians, artists, craftspeople, hard-workers - whose ambition is simply to put on a memorable weekend to shine a spotlight on local culture.

Main days are Friday and Saturday, with Sunday a relax and chill day with a few performances around lunchtime , and impromptu fireside sessions in the evening.

For half a century the Guiting Music Festival has been a highlight of the Cotswolds summer calendar, bringing an exciting variety of highly talented performances of Classical, Jazz, Blues and Folk music by artists from around the world. In that time it has built up a strong band of very loyal supporters.

Check through their programme to see what parts you like.

Boutique Festival with only 3000 tickets available. Headline Acts - often some of the biggest names!

Set in beautiful Kent just 5 mins from J5 on M2.

Camping opens Thursday 31st July 2025 with entertainment and sing-a-rounds in the bar from 5pm.

All genres of music but have a particular passion for Folk Rock, Folk, Roots and Acoustic music, which is the main genre of the Acts booked, but Folk as you may not expect!

Based in beautiful Kent country, but just 5 minutes from J5 of the M2, Chickstock Festival is building on previous years' 'magical' festival of folk, roots and acoustic music, with even more bands booked for this year!

Variety of music styles, includes some top folk acts.

Concerts, workshop, dance displays, craft fairs, sessions. Lots of things to keep you entertained.

There will be a good selection of food and drink including a great choice of real ales at the main venue. Some excellent village pubs, wine bars, restaurants, shops and bistros, all within easy walking distance of the main venue. There are also some lovely village and riverside walks around Wickham plus the historic Chesapeake Mill and Water Gardens that are well worth a visit

A place where art, intellectualism and fantastic gastronomy share equal billing with music.

A festival covering many different media - music, film, talks - all on a variety of genres. The London Folk Guild brings the very best in folk, blues, acoustic, Americana, bluegrass, roots and country from the UK and around the world.

Winner of several Festival awards.

Folk music. Shanty singing. Pirates. Food and drink.

That should keep a lot of people happy!

For the 72nd Time !

Sidmouth Folk Festival is a unique week-long seaside celebration of music, dance and song taking place in the charming East Devon regency coastal resort. A must in every festival goer's annual diary. There has been a folk festival in Sidmouth in the first week of August every year since 1955, attracting tens of thousands of visitors to over 700 diverse events with a promise of something for everyone, from major league concerts to small intimate sessions, from ceilidh dancing to lively roots parties, from family entertainment to youth-centred masterclasses, from social dance to colourful dance displays.

Cambridge Folk Festival had a year off -now they are back, though only for two days this time.

Site still being updated when we visited.

This is a big fringe, over four evenings. Featuring a great line up, and it's all free!

All events in McBuzz's Barn.

The Fringe Sessions feature a mix of the most exciting emerging talent along with some established heavyweight favourites from across the UK and internationally. Entry is FREE to all music lovers but we have a donations bucket for the artists.

The music is an eclectic mix of many genres - and has included folk/roots, bluegrass, stomp, blues, acoustic, jazzfusion, world and indie rock/pop - plus everything in-between.

61st Anniversary in 2026

During Folk Week, life in Broadstairs really is set to music. In the parks, pubs, gardens and on the beaches and promenade- there really is a festival vibe in the town - nobody who arrives in Broadstairs during Folk Week wonders whether there is an event taking place - it's inescapable - in the best possible way!

This will be the 49th event...

The Dartmoor Folk Festival is a friendly traditional festival, with highlights including Ceilidh, Song & Music Sessions, Dartmoor Stepdance and Broomdance Championships, Dartmoor Fayre, Craft Displays, Dances, Music Hall, Sunday Ramble, Folk Service, Pub Sessions & Children's Events.PLUS - Craft tent, Sideshows, Demonstrations, Dance Displays, Children's Entertainers and much more...The festival continues to attract some of the top national and local artists as guests, maintaining its reputation as one of the top events in the folk calendar.

This year will see the 27th Saltburn Folk Festival take place in the historic, Victorian town of Saltburn.

An annual town based traditional and contemporary folk festival for all ages, with concerts, Street Entertainment, Singarounds, Music Sessions, Ceilidhs, Choirs, Maritime, Craft Stalls, Kids Events, Dance Teams, Workshops, Music Hall, Camping, Free Fringe Events.

A large event covering a large variety of music styles, in it's 13th year. The event is spread over several stages, and there is a folk section . Research it and make your own decision on whether it suits you. The line-up includes many well-known acts.

Famous reunion festival taking place in Oxfordshire, for the legendary Fairport Convention. And lots of guests.

There aren't many acts that run their own famous festival! And for over 50 years, so lookout for special surprize guests.

Tickets tend to sell out fast, so don't miss out.

2022 was the first such event, and it was successful enough to stage its fifth event, for 2026.

Transatlantic folk trio, The Magpies, have announced that they will be hosting their first festival - in the stunning parkland of York's stately home, Sutton Park. The line-up is set to include the likes of Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys, Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra, Blair Dunlop and Katherine Priddy, with more exciting names to be announced.

Purbeck Folk Festival in the rolling hills of Dorset.

Located on a little sheep farm and in its fifth year, it's "how festivals used to be" - friendly, great for kids and adults alike, and small enough to be able to wander around and not lose your friends. Purbeck Folk Festival covers the broader definition of folk music and you can hear music from all around the world; some deep and meaningful, some get up and jump around.

Not to be confused with the nearby Swanage festivals

A not for profit family music and arts festival and although we don't call ourselves a folk festival the majority of our musical programming is folk, so we thought you might be interested.

Very family focused, with circus acts, music, films, children's entertainment.
Doesn't seem to like my pop-up box so click here instead to view their site.

This is a roadshow, that occurs in several locations.

We've included a few of them, but if you want to see the whole list, remove the location in the url, and you go to the roadshow's own website.

The line up, for a newish event, has been very start-studded as well, and this year will probably be just as great.

Singing, sessions, morris parade, shanty festival, story telling, and much more.

There will be free daily concerts on the Seafront Stage from noon to 5pm plus the usual Morris dancing and parade throughout the town.

Also known as BAAFest

A great mix of folk, jazz, blues and anything else that they fancy! As long as it's all acoustic.

No sheep were harmed in the production of their website.

Now in it's 3rd year.

There are poets, writers, artists, musicians and actors all living within close proximity of the town. Bungay has that effect on people.

Sessions and concerts. And some well-known names...

This festival is all about participation. We want you to come and enjoy the ambience, the eclectic and exciting shops, the excellent food and beer. We want you to bring your own instruments and spend time with top quality tutors in workshops and then discover places.

A newish one day event, spread over four locations in Leicester. 2025 was it's first festival, and they enjoyed it so much, it's back for a 2nd time. With the added bonus that it is FREE.

Not fully updated on our last visit.

A mixture of free open air entertainment, concerts, music sessions, classic boats, pub sessions and singarounds during the festival weekend. Events take place throughout the old town of Harwich at several local venues.

The annual Bradford Roots festival at Wiltshire Music Centre, celebrating the very best in local musical talent with over 40 acts and activities. From folk to blues, and pop to poetry, experience a two-day indoor festival packed with fun and laughter to beat the January blues.

Proceeds in support of local charities.

The little festival with the big heart returns to Southport for a weekend-long celebration featuring new, upcoming and traditional folk music across two days. So, come on, spend the most romantic weekend of the year with us - dancing, singing, drinking, eating and generally loving folk!

Manchester will once again be staging Europe's biggest Irish Festival.

Over 100 venues! Claims to attract over 200,000 visitors - so it's popular.

Live Irish music, dance events, plus club and pub events. Europe's biggest Irish Festival over 10 days.

This is a big event!

Filey Folk Festival is one of the mainstays of this North Yorkshire seaside town's musical year.
Filey Folk Festival is a *free entry independent folk festival on the North Yorkshire Coast.
*Ticketed evening concerts also available.

With over 100 musicians performing Traditional and Contemporary Folk, Americana, Country, Blues and everything in between!
Also look out for our Singarounds/Sessions plus Open Mic!

The Jack in the Green Festival is an annual event that takes place in various parts of the gorgeous seaside resort that is Hastings. It's a three day event and attracts thousands every year. This is a true British May Day celebration not to be missed. The four day event has been described as 'thee celebration of Morris dancing and traditional merriment, centering on the symbolic figure of Jack in the Green and culminating in a wild costumed parade - one of the most bizarre in Britain.' The long weekend event includes music of all genres from some of the best local and surrounding areas bands, sun, historic and social events, and is filled with family fun.

The fourth edition of The Magic Teapot Gathering moves to a flatter site with views of Glastonbury Tor. Totally acoustic with no amplifiers at all and percussion kept to an absolute minimum. This festival is a great event if you like to join in and sing along! Please do bring your instruments. The 3 performance spaces are all under cover and all have a central fire bowl and a real piano. The three headline bands this year are Mobius Loop, The Often Herd and The Magic Teapot Allstars. There is a full programme of music on the Bigpot main stage, alongside the headline acts, provided by members of The Magic Teapot Crew in various configurations. The real ale bar and teapot are super inclusive spaces for spontaneous jams, singalong and open (no)mic. Beltane is celebrated (slightly off date this year) with the building and burning of a wicker man and Sunday morning will see the Maypole dancing, with this year's maypole becoming the spine of next year's wicker man. Catering for a wide variety of diet, including a dedicated vegan caterer
Also included in the ticket price is camping, hot tub, sauna, showers, real toilets. Workshops, yoga classes etc are run on a pay what you feel basis.

In aid of Leukaemia Research and Brighstone School.

The live music stage will provide a full programme, featuring the best of the Island's Folk & Blues musicians.

A family friendly event including BBQ, Tea Tent, children's activities and Circus Skills. The Wolverton Folk & Blues Fair looks set to be a celebration of all that's good about our Island's local food & music talent.

Always at a bargain price!

This May sees the return of the ever popular annual Folk Festival. A long weekend of music, song and dance featuring some of the best folk music from Scilly and the South West.

Spread over many days and several locations, featuring dances, sessions and several festival events.

New to our list.

300 tickets available

This year, apart from another 12 hours of back to back folk music starting at 11am across multiple stages on the May bank holiday weekend, there will be beer from the farm brewery, multiple food outlets, camping, arts and crafts and a new soapbox stage for established and aspiring musicians alike. The lineup will be announced in full in April.

Site not fully updated yet. You have to search around for info.

They always seem to leave it until closer to the event to tell you what is happening.

Ticket prices will be known in March.

Accoustic, Roots, Folk, Contemporary and Traditional music from around the world.

More Acts and details to come including singing, dancing and yoga workshops and a Sunday Lunch Acoustic Cafe

Celebrating over 30 years of the Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival a fabulous weekend of folk & roots music.

Friday is Rock n Roll night as is Saturday.
But there is a folk theme as well, waiting to be updated at the present moment. And there is an official fringe as well.

Up to 15 venues host music and dance from lunchtime on Friday through to Sunday night. On the canal-side and in the town centre, artists from around the UK - and beyond.

Down where the cider apples grow lives a small friendly festival.
With a very friend ticket price!

Singalongs, Workshops, Concerts.

This year we will be repeating the independent Real Ale bar.

Part of a seven day music festival, with Saturday being the folk day.
Rated as one of the top three UK free summer events.

Back with a June date again.

An acoustic festival for indie and contemporary music.
Shortlisted for Best Independent Festival 2015. Best Small Festival.

A world of sound sums it up - music from several countries, in several style. Looks like many acoustic acts, workshops, and the like. And a kids area too for family friendly entertainment.

Take a look at their website to see if it suits your taste.

Many Sandwich Pubs will put on Folk music throughout the weekend, there will be street music and dancing.

The Pub events will be free to enter with main events at St. Mary's Arts Centre ticketed, see their website for details.

A free outdoor concert and Saturday and Sunday

Furness Tradition is a folk-arts development group based in the Furness market town of Ulverston on the edge of the Lake District in north-west England. The group was initiated by volunteers to celebrate, encourage and make familiar the musical inheritance of the Furness and South Lakeland area of South Cumbria.

And this is its 26th year!

A small, friendly, community-based music festival set in the heart of Northumberland in Rothbury in the beautiful Coquet Valley. Over the last three decades, Rothbury Festival has established a unique atmosphere that has drawn musicians and singers from throughout the country and beyond to spend a weekend sharing music and experiencing Northumbrian traditions.

Bromsgrove is so much more than a series of concerts with headline artists. Club singers and budding artists are encouraged to add to the Bromsgrove Experience with singarounds, open mics, and the like including, of course, the legendary sessions in the pub bar....then there is the Ukulele Workshop (BUMS) and the Festival Choir (BOTOMS)

Bromsgrove Folk Festival has been described as small and friendly, bijou even, but it is so much more than that......it is enormous in heart and aspiration. We have a pub for sessions (and beer of course), a large camping field (open from 2.00pm on Thursday), a 350 capacity Main Marquee for "up close and personal" concerts, a MiniMarquee (seating about 125) for smaller concerts, singarounds, etc., and excellent toilet facilities.

A well-established, intimate and family friendly event in a beautiful rural setting, held in large marquees on a greenfield site in the picturesque hamlet of Stainsby.

Great folk and world music in traditional marquees, crafts stalls, childrens entertainment, music workshops of every kind, storytelling, a singers competition and walkabout events throughout the weekend with camping thrown in.

Tapestry is a free festival that takes place in Southampton's Westquay on the weekend of July 19 and 20. The line-up includes an impressive array of A-List artists with a distinct bent towards folk and 'global'.

In addition to its mix of world-class artists, Tapestry presents a programme of exceptional local talent and family-friendly workshops that include African drumming and ceilidh dancing - promising a fun and vibrant summer experience.

Also, selected performances will be recorded by BBC Radio 3's Music Planet for broadcast in August 2025 and the weekend hosted by Music Planet presenter, Lopa Kothari.

Festival of the Year in the British Blues Awards 2015 and 2016. Best Blues Festival in UK Blues Awards in 2018 and 2023

Since the formation of the Blues Committee in 2001 there has been two aims, to produce a festival to promote Blues Music in Upton Upon Severn, and to support the local community. To achieve these aims the Upton Blues Festival has always, and will always be free from any admission charge.

What more can you want than the blues for free? 60 or 70 bands perhaps?

A variety of music styles, including folk music and an acoustic stage. Three big stages.

A week long residential event, so not quite a festival, but a long folk event.

Residential and non-residential tickets at a variety of prices.

A festival set in the ancient market town of Melton Mowbray. With Craft fair, local market, Morris Dancing, sing-arounds, music session, outdoor market stage and 13 venues collected around its atmospheric center. Two days of music and mayhem so if you fancy playing or just want to eat the pie - come to Melton Folk Festival.

Now in its 15th year.

Featuring Music, Dance Song, Poetry, Story telling

The price is right - it's free.

Beautiful Days is the Levellers' annual 15,000 capacity family-friendly weekend camping festival at Escot Park, which started in 2003. It has a huge children's area in the centre of the festival, comedy, theatre, family camping, a healing area, licensed real ale bars from Otter Brewery & carefully selected food and craft stalls.

Chosen as one of the Best Family Festivals in 2013 by the Guardian

A joyous celebration of Cajun, Creole and Louisiana roots music, dance and culture set in the heart of the beautiful North Shropshire Lakelands!

Note the NEW LOCATION for this, the 13th event.

This event has been going for around ten years now, in East Anglia (hence the name).

A fresh approach to a timeless tradition with an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional music. Re-kindling the Eastfolk folkmoots on the Sotterley Hall Estate, where, for three days of the year, the folk of the East bring their families & gather for a bit of a to-do.

The festival features some well known and talented main acts, plus local and national, up and coming artists.

A small, intimate, relaxed festival where there is an emphasis on creating an inclusive atmosphere and encouraging everyone to play a part in the weekend's events. There is plenty of opportunity to sing, play or tell a story with singarounds and music sessions every day.

Folk In The Park is a day-long live music festival in the heart of the South London borough of Sutton, taking place in the award-winning green space, Manor Park.

Seven days of dancing in the streets, music and singing in the pubs, concerts and dances until late into the night, and a whole lot more. Seven days of meeting old friends and making new ones.

With over 600 events, this long-standing celebration of the traditional music, dance and song of the British Isles has taken on the trappings of a tradition in its own right.

The Cornwall Folk Festival is the annual celebration of Folk and Roots Music and Dance in Wadebridge.

It brings national and international performers to Cornwall
and showcase local talent to the wider artistic world, in front of Cornish and visiting audiences.

Now in its eleventh year, for the region's already blossoming music calendar, to be hosted in various venues in the picturesque East Yorkshire village of Cottingham across the first weekend of September. An exciting addition to a vibrant summer of events, this three-day extravaganza will see an incredible line-up of artists descend on what is thought to be the largest village in the UK

It's been around for over 50 years.
Not many events can say that!

An arts, faith and justice festival with a long and rich history.

Greenbelt covers a variety of styles of music and other things, including guest speakers and comedy.

Expect a variety of styles of entertainment.

This festival covers many different music styles, including folk music. It will suit those with a wide range of musical interests. Over 200 diverse music acts across 12 live stages. comedy, electric, roots, reggae and folk, films and theatre. Some of everything.

Location is kept secret for quite some time.

New to us.
It replaces the Towersey Festival

A festival of discovery with music, dance, arts, crafts and wellness. Head turners from the world of Americana, Folk, Country, Blues, World and Roots Music. A festival with space to breathe and relax, to discover and learn, to create and share. Your first and forever festival, inspiring the best you. Don’t lose yourself, be Found.

Not strictly a folk event. A mixture of styles and events that some of you may be interested in. A bit like Breaded Theory they say.

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has a reputation for delivering the very finest acts from the UK and around the world, always searching to find new authentic artists as well as providing a platform for established performers, and never forgetting to add some fun and diversity to our concerts. We try to bring quality in depth.

A medieval event, with stage shows, jousting, music and dance, and lots of things for the kids too. They have a full line up of folk music. It's a one-of-a-kind event with a very special blend of history and fun for the whole family.

Something different especially if you like older music.

A one day event in Chester
Featuring traditional and experimental folk. Dance displays, sessions.

Northgate Folk Festival champions forward-thinking artists forging their own paths in traditional music. From haunting originals to full-blooded reworkings of centuries-old work songs; the event will once again showcase the new wave of acts who embody the genre’s ever-evolving nature.

A regular event, a summer school event on folk music, dance, and song. All ages and abilities are welcome.

Once again we've included a few bluegrass festivals to give you a bit more variety. And besides, we noticed a few folk stars in the line up...

(We're not trying to cover every such festival, just a few samples for you enjoyment.)

Run by a new team of familiar faces.

Our tradition of an eclectic folk selection continues this year.

Showcasing unsigned acts right alongside well established international artists makes for a really exciting bill.

A great family site.
Atmospheric Surroundings - Great live music
60 Real Ales and Ciders - Acoustic Sessions
Excellent Camping Facilities & Showers
Arts & crafts stalls - Fantastic Food - Circus Workshops, and Parade
Family Friendly - Children's Play Area -Entertainment & activities for children
Shiatsu - Yoga - Energy work - Tai Chi - Chi Kung - Meditation

Not your normal folk fest.

Learn joyous songs from five renowned conductors in fun, relaxed workshops
within the beautiful surroundings of Mellow Farm.

Singing Workshops
Camping, Ceilidh, Open Mic, Saturday Night BBQ, Lantern Making, Junk Samba workshop, Yoga, Family Activities, Local Beer & Cider and the best campfire sing-arounds you've ever heard.

Multiple locations in the town, mainly around the market place.
Features a variety of styles - Morris dance, acoustic and folk, and some rock-ish. There is also a fringe festival.

And it's along the M2, close to Canterbury.

A micro music festival celebrating really good songs and the folks who write them.

A weekend of powerful, poignant, and hilarious songs and stories by these acclaimed songsmiths.

Oxford Storytelling Festival, an exciting boutique family festival is
coming to Waterperry this Summer. An August bank holiday full of Magic,
Myth and Mystery to enchant and enliven your senses.

Started in 1968, still going strong.

Folk festival/cultural event in the Welsh Border area - featuring over 170 hours of entertainment in just one weekend of traditional music, song and dance.

Some of the most outstanding local, national and international traditional folk festival musicians performing in concert, ceilidhs and displays.

Swanage comes alive with hundreds of Morris dancers in their bright costumes and jingling bells, and folk music lovers, every year for the weekend on the second Friday after the August Bank Holiday Monday.

Concerts, join-in sessions, workshops, as well as dancers

A mixed genre event, with a folk element for you to enjoy. More than 20 venues and 200 artists (!) to enjoy.

Worcester Music Festival are pleased to announce we will be working alongside Acorns Children's Hospice this year, with the money raised by the festival going towards Acorns' music therapy scheme.

An annual medieval music festival wholly dedicated to medieval music-making. It's unique in the UK.

Our theme for this year is The Matter of Britain - Medieval Music and Story of the British Isles.

A major event in the early music calendar - a weekend dedicated solely to the music of the middle ages. It's all happening at Bolton Castle in beautiful Wensleydale in North Yorkshire

Two weeks of the arts and music in September.

A large variety of genres of music, usually with some folk and acoustic music from some major acts. Arts, literature and film events too.

For over 30 years St Ives Festival has been one of the must-play events for those of us on the Folk, Roots and Acoustic music scene.

This is the 34th event!
Featuring some big names in the folk genre and talented local artists as well.
Near Leeds.

Septembersong, Wood HQ's new end of the summer event, returns for a third year! As well as amazing music and songwriters, Septembersong features harmony singing workshops and songs round the campfire, yoga and meditation, talks and interviews, crafts in the 'Old Ways' maker space, great local food and drink, after-hours dancing, seasonal cocktails… and much more. Take the time to slow down, relax and re-connect. We hope you can join us and be a part of our mission to connect with nature and build community through music and the arts.

Price covers nine afternoon and evening events, including the headliners evening concerts - and there are several big name headliners too!

Supported by crowdfunding donations.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

A one-day festival in the beautiful grounds of the historic Malmesbury Abbey.

Featuring the best in folk and roots music from the UK and beyond, we have put together an AWESOME line-up.

All proceeds to the Malmesbury Mayoral Charities.

Events are held at several locations around Allendale. But mainly in the village hall.

Established in 2014, celebrating the best in folk music, traditional dance and workshops.

A festival that both promotes folk music and supports a local community centre so it can continue to be open to the local community.

All proceeds go to the Barlow Trust. There are concerts, workshops, singarounds, music sessions, dance displays, a ceilidh, lectures, demonstrations, with a bar and food available. All the artists and workshop leaders give their time and talents for free for which we are immensely grateful.


Car park at back. Parking place for campervans (but no campervan utilities available).

The website has moved to a new domain name now.

Please join us for a sumptuous autumn weekend full of great music, food and drink, all set in lovely Old Hartlepool. We have put together a lineup containing some of the very best artists on the UK folk scene, but which pays special tribute to the incredibly rich culture and traditions of Teesside and the wider North East.

Concerts, workshops, sessions.

Mainly indoors, so no need to worry about the weather. There are individual concerts in Derby Cathedral on Friday evening, and Saturday, and concerts in The Old Bell Hotel on Friday evening, and through Saturday and Sunday.

We occasionally feature festivals with a difference. And this time it is a veritable feast of interweaving words: stories, poems, rap and songs, from across the Welsh Marches, West Midlands and the whole wide world!

It's back again, for it's fourth year. Intends to showcase contemporary, alternative and traditional folk and roots music. Includes local and national artists.

An afternoon and evening event.

A world music event, many different styles. Check the line up to see if it appeals to your tastes.

Musicport was established in 2000 to promote live music and music education in Whitby and the surrounding area.

The rather magical winner of the Indoor Festival of the Year 2013 (Fatea Awards

A stand-in for their normal event which has been postponed until next year, this Americana festival is taking place in London this year.

Over 50 artists on three live stages.

New to the site, but this is it's 11th event.

This is basically a seasonal festival with dynamic performances from Morris dancers, musicians and the all important meeting of the Welsh Mari Lwyds with our Cornish Oss, Penkevyll marking the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter. The main venue of these performances was outside the famous Museum of Witchcraft & Magic in the pretty village of Boscastle, Cornwall. It has now been moved to the beautiful historic town of Tintagel that has a unique magical energy of its own.

Also known as The Melton Mowbray Christmas Folk Trail, consists of many acts hosted across many venues in the town of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK. With an additional welcoming singaround on the evening of Friday 9th December.

Usually taking place in different local venues.