UK Folk Festivals - Coming Soon

Folk Music Festivals Coming Soon

These are the festivals with a start date from today onwards for the next five weeks. So if you need a quick fix of your favourite musical genre, try one of these great music festivals. We're sure you'll enjoy the music. They are arranged in date order, with the soonest one first.

Remember, we can't check every ticket price, unfortunately, as some are not listed until closer to the event, so we advise you to check the prices yourself.

Click on a festival name and it expands to reveal the full details (like the first one).

Taking place in February

Gainsborough FOAOTMAD - 13th Feb 2026 - Gainsborough, DN21 2ST, Lincolnshire

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.

Location: Gainsborough, DN21 2ST
Date: Friday 13th February 2026 for 3 day(s)
Full Price: £120
Also available Day tickets too
Contact for info:
Website: gainsborough2026.weebly.com
County: Lincolnshire
Country: England


Gloucester Folk Trail - 13th Feb 2026 - Gloucester, Gloucestershire

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.

Location: Gloucester
Date: Friday 13th February 2026 for 3 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available It's FREE
Contact for info:
Website: www.gloucesterfolktrail.com
County: Gloucestershire
Country: England


Halsway Folk Harp Weekend - 13th Feb 2026 - Halsway Manor, TA44BD, Somerset

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.

Location: Halsway Manor, TA44BD
Date: Friday 13th February 2026 for 3 day(s)
Full Price: £180
Also available Residential accommodation is extra
Contact for info: office@halswaymanor.org.uk
Website: halswaymanor.org.uk/event/folk-harp-weekend-2026
County: Somerset
Country: England


Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh - 18th Feb 2026 - Ballyferriter, County Kerry

Not fully updated yet.

Scoil Cheoil an Earraigh is a 5 day Traditional Music School paying particular attention to the music, style and of the Corca Dhuibhne peninsula in Co. Kerry, Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Location: Ballyferriter
Date: Wednesday 18th February 2026 for 5 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available TBA
Contact for info: eolas@scoilcheoil.com
Website: www.scoilcheoil.com
County: County Kerry
Country: Ireland


Russell Festival Weekend - 20th Feb 2026 - Doolin, County Clare

The Russell Memorial Weekend is a traditional festival held in Doolin on the the last full weekend in February each year. The festival began in 1995 as a remembrance ceremony to Micho Russell, the world-famous traditional musician, who died in 1994.
Concerts, workshops, sessions

Location: Doolin
Date: Friday 20th February 2026 for 3 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available Individual event tickets
Contact for info: therussellfestival@gmail.com
Website: russellfestivalweekend.ie
County: County Clare
Country: Ireland


Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festival - 27th Feb 2026 - Campus West, University of York, Yorkshire

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.

Location: Campus West, University of York
Date: Friday 27th February 2026 for 3 day(s)
Full Price: £0
Also available TBA but probably about - £30, £60
Contact for info:
Website: ivfdf2026.org.uk
County: Yorkshire
Country: England


Chester February Folk Day - 28th Feb 2026 - Chester, CH2 3HZ, Cheshire

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.?

Location: Chester, CH2 3HZ
Date: Saturday 28th February 2026 for 1 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available TBA
Contact for info: info@chesterfolk.org.uk
Website: www.chesterfolk.org.uk/february-folk-day
County: Cheshire
Country: England


The Big Burfest - 28th Feb 2026 - Bursledon, SO31 8BZ, Hampshire

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.

Location: Bursledon, SO31 8BZ
Date: Saturday 28th February 2026 for 1 day(s)
Full Price: £12
Also available Family Ticket £20
Contact for info: may185@btinternet.com
Website: thebigbursfest.chessck.co.uk/
County: Hampshire
Country: England


Taking place in March

The Gathering Traditional Festival - 4th Mar 2026 - Killarney, County Kerry

This one is it's 25th birthday, so it could be special!

The Gathering Traditional Festival is one of most loved festivals amongst traditional enthusiasts and is ideal for everyone from the hard core fans to the culturally curious. From fireside sessions to heart-pounding ceilis,

The Gathering features concerts, ceilis, sessions and storytelling as well as set dancing, singing and instrument masterclasses

Location: Killarney
Date: Wednesday 4th March 2026 for 5 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available Variety of individual event and day tickets
Contact for info: info@thegathering.ie
Website: www.inec.ie/festivals/the-gathering/ www.gleneaglehotel.com/en/the-gathering-2025/
County: County Kerry
Country: Ireland


Inverness Music Festival - 5th Mar 2026 - Inverness, Invernessshire

Inverness Music Festival is a competitive music festival open to all ages and abilities. Performers are adjudicated on their performance.

It takes place at Inverness Methodist Church.

So if you can play and want to show the world how help, enter the festival.

Location: Inverness
Date: Thursday 5th March 2026 for 8 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available TBA
Contact for info: admin@invernessmusicfestival.org
Website: invernessmusicfestival.org
County: Invernessshire
Country: Scotland


Regal Folk Festival - 6th Mar 2026 - Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire

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

Location: Tenbury Wells
Date: Friday 6th March 2026 for 13 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available Individual event tickets.
Contact for info:
Website: regaltenbury.co.uk/regal-folk-festival-2026
County: Worcestershire
Country: England


Manchester Irish Festival - 7th Mar 2026 - Manchester, Lancashire

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!

Location: Manchester
Date: Saturday 7th March 2026 for 10 day(s)
Full Price: £
Also available Individual event tickets
Contact for info: info@manchesteririshfestival.co.uk
Website: www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk/
County: Lancashire
Country: England


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