UK Folk Festivals - The Big List

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

Possibly the first folk festival of the year!

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.

Massive event in Glasgow, spanning 18 days! If it has a Celtic connection, it's probably on show here. Multiple venues. There's not enough space to describe everything, just settle for knowing there are 2,100 artists, 300 events, 20 venues. - yes, you read that right!

This is HUGE.

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.

Dublin's biggest and best festival of Irish Music and Culture, the Temple Bar TradFest will be back for the 9th year. The festival will include headline concerts in Christ Church, City Hall and The Button Factory. Other highlights include over 200 free events, music trail, singers club, open session, two outdoor stages, the international Celtic Irish dance festival, master classes and showcases, gigs for kids, children's club, pipe bands, street performers and much more.
Now with films and possibly live streaming!

31st 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.

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.

Not much info available just now.

Multi-media, multi-genre event.

A celebration of music reflecting the diversity of the contemporary Irish music scene.
Alongside longstanding masters of the tradition, we will be showcasing music at the cutting edge of genres. With concerts, workshops, film screenings, community and participatory
events and events for children, there is sure to be something for everyone.
Multiple venues.

Website is a bit slow at loading...

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 seisiuns to heart-pounding ceilis,

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

One day event, by the same group that organise the larger Chester Festival

Events include afternoon and evening concerts, a folk club, a singaround and a music session, all the usual stuff.

Warming up the bands.

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.

2025 is the 75th 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.

Ireland's Biggest Community Festival.
Music, Comedy, Talks, Tours, Theatre, Debate, Family, Community and more.

Quite a variety of events, some of which will be popular with folk fans. You'll have to check the program to find them

The clue's in the name - it features fidlers.

As always, the Inverness Fiddlers will be joined by special guests for the event.

Not sure if it is folky or just fidlers, but you can always contact them and ask.

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 March 6th-9th March and 13th -16th March.

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!

A long running Festival of Music, Drama, Literature, Creative & Visual Arts in Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire.

Not a folk festival, it's a festival of Music, Drama, Literature, Creative and Visual Arts. But it includes Celtic instrument workshops and Scottish singers. So some of you may be interested.

Not a huge amount of info on line, so check with the organisers. Slight name change for this year. Now has Mini in its name.

There's a lot going on at this event!
Take a good look at the site to see for your self.
Events include a festival village, pipe band extravaganza, concerts, céilís & more. A family friendly celebration of St Patrick, and traditional music, song and dance.

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.

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 Glasgow event. Loads of artists, and lots of ticket prices.

The artists move from one country to the other as well.

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 Belfast event. Loads of artists, and lots of ticket prices.

The artists move from one country to the other as well, so everyone gets a chance to see some of them.

Kilkenny Tradfest has been going from strength to strength over the last 8 years and 2025's festival promises to be an exciting and innovative festival, full to the brim with concerts, ceilis, sessions, Irish dance, pub gigs and much more!

The festival has grown to include six full days of concerts, gigs and sessions.

During the weekend some of Ireland's best musicians will also give masterclasses and workshops at the best city's historical locations such as Kilkenny Castle Tower and Rothe House.

They are even having a competiton, sponsored by McNeela Instruments, to win a Bodhran.

A small Irish event.

I do wish they had a proper website to collect more info about them.

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

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.

People have travelled from near and far to share company and songs and together we have made this Festival what it is - a celebration of song and friendship.This year we are staying close to home with guests and talks. You will hear from and about the singers of Cloontagh, Malin Head, Carndonagh, Isle of Doagh, Buncrana and Rashenny. And we have issued Mick Quinn with his honorary Inishowen passport once again.

In collaboration with Tunes in the House

Annual Scottish fiddle festival.

A fun-filled weekend of fiddle music and good craic, this very informal festival kicks off on Friday night and celebrates the life of Perthshire's fiddle legend.

The link is to their new website.

Hawick steps back in time to the 16th century and through drama, song, poetry and re-enactments invites visitors and towns-people alike to experience life in this turbulent, often violent, but very colourful period in our history.

A full programme of activities is planned many of which are free and include demonstrations of falconry, archery and horsemanship, a look at craftsmen of the times and dramatic re-enactments. There are also concerts, guided walks, historical lectures and many other activities.

Aims to give young, up and coming traditional Musicians and Dancers the chance to perform in a non-competitive environment.

The Festival lasts for four days and nights, consisting of Gigs, Concerts, Sessions, Ceildhs, Workshops and much, much more.

(Listed in Ireland as well as Scotland, as it has a Celtic music bias. Besides, we don't have an Isle of Man section.)

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/shennaghys

Aims to give young, up and coming traditional Musicians and Dancers the chance to perform in a non-competitive environment.

The Festival lasts for four days and nights, consisting of Gigs, Concerts, Sessions, Ceildhs, Workshops and much, much more.

(Listed in Ireland as well as Scotland, as it has a Celtic music bias. Besides, we don't have an Isle of Man section.)

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/shennaghys

Traditional flutes and whistles in Scotland.
FluteFling classes, workshops and weekends provide opportunities for people to learn and develop traditional skills on the whistle and flute in a Scottish setting.

Not quite a festival, but for those interested in traditional flute music, it is a big thing.

Courses, Concerts, workshops, harp exhibition, sessions, ceilidh.

One for the harp enthusiasts.

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 second year under the new group.

This event has two information sources:
oxfordfolkfestival.org.uk
and
linktr.ee/oxfordfolkfest
This second link has more info available on it.

Scottish (of course), Irish and contemporary music, children's entertainment and the World Puff-A-Box Championship (at which my brother has very consistently failed to win or even get placed.) A warm welcome is ensured.

Note the change in the web address - they have updated their site to use WordPress and Elementor. It's always a good sign when someone takes this much effort with their website.

The Wales Harp Festival offers an excellent opportunity to learn, participate and enjoy Harp music in one of the most beautiful regions of the UK where nature and historic architecture provide the best experiences for any tourist. Why not combine this opportunity to visit the harp festival with exploring our region?

There will be concerts, competitions, master-classes, lectures, fun classes for absolute beginners, harp exhibitions and much more.

Not a folk festival in the traditional sense, but as usual we like to include something a bit different.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

Hopefully more details will be available soon.

Multiple venues, appears to be free.
Variety of events and music styles to enjoy over four days of fun in the Inner Hebrides.

A weekend of Scottish music featuring folk-rock bands, fiddle, accordion, dance and ceilidh bands.

The events aren't ticketted, and most are very crowded!

See also https://www.facebook.com/MullMusicFestival/?locale=en_GB

The Fleadh Cheoil is a weekend festival comprised of ceili dancing, music sessions, street entertainment and competitions in music, singing, dancing and storytelling.

Traditional musicians of all ages are invited to gather for the Cork Fleadh Cheoil 2025.

For the 57th 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.

For the 43rd time!

The UK's most northerly folk festival. The Festival prides itself in reaching out to even the most far flung areas of Shetland. Concerts are organised throughout the isles, consisting of some of the best International, British and Shetland music that the world has to offer. In fact, visiting artistes are regularly dumbfounded by the quantity and quality of local musicians that our remote isles have to offer.
Nine locations on the island are holding events.

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, 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 very beginning.

Edinburgh TradFest - Dun Eideann is a vibrant celebration of folk arts celebrating TradFest will include music, song, storytelling, dance, folk drama, arts and crafts, literature, architecture, film and multi-media in the capital city.

Edinburgh's only multi-arts festival is dedicated to traditional culture and folk arts. Features the very best traditional music from Scotland and around the world.

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!

Scotland's first sustainable event.

Music, verse and story telling
Concerts - Sessions - Open Stage - Competitions - Workshops - Children's Events- Secure Campsite.

Popular Scottish event, promises to be even bigger than last year.

In its 50th year of existence and still going strong. With a nice redesigned website too.

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.

By now a national institution and an international buzz-phrase among the Americana / Roots movement...Ireland's most compact and hospitable music festival, where virtually everything is low-key but high grade.

Mixture of genres. All forms of music under the Americana/Roots banner are well represented over the four days.

Over 80 shows, including 50 free events on the pub gig trail!

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.

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.

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.

Four days and nights of the best music you'll hear anywhere, in one of the most beautiful settings on the planet, The Baltimore Fiddle Fair truly is the jewel in the crown of Irish festivals.

Full line-up will be announced on 1st January.

The Fiddle Fair has firmly established itself as one of the premier opportunities to help encourage and develop the talents of budding fiddle players from Ireland and abroad.

Not specifically a folk festival.

This regular event was established to provide the annual new music showcase event for the Welsh Music Industry. Our core work centres around the delivery of our international multi-venue showcase festival taking place in Wrexham each year, which places the music industry spotlight firmly on the emerging talent that Wales has to offer the world, alongside a selection of the best new acts from across the globe.

It is showcasing over 250 acts, so you could browse through the lists and might find some folk music talent. We are hoping we are correct in this.

A nice Scottish Festival, which can sell out quickly due to its popularity.
The first release of tickets last year had sold out by 7th December!

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.

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.

A country and western festival in Scotland? Well if it's good fun, what's the problem.

If the web link fails (it did for us), go to this facebook page, where we found most of the details.

Keslo C+W

There's also an October event most years.

Described by The Times as One of the coolest villages in Britain.
Moniaive probably has more musical events and festivals (per head of population) than anywhere else in the country. And with a sizeable group of traditional musicians living in the village and surrounding countryside, our pub sessions are amongst the finest.
Sessions, piping competitions, workshops, and more.

The festival celebrates the best in international folk music and dance. OVer 30 years of music, it attracts big-name music performers and dance troupes from across the UK and Europe. Set in the National Trust grounds of Tredegar House stately home, there are also ceilidhs, open mics, workshops, farmers' market and a CAMRA real ale bar.

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 10th 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).

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!

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.

Traditional singing showcased.
Several venues.
CDs of previous events available too.

A new event for our listings.

Footstompin' bluegrass, soulful americana/folk and outstanding musicianship. Don't miss the 3rd annual SpringGrass bluegrass festival at The Vault Arts Centre.

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.

The World Ceilidh melds together the most ancient roots music with the latest cutting edge sounds. This first truly backwoods upland music fest in Scotland hosts some of the best musicians and performers from across the world. All are invited to journey over hill and dale by rock and stream to our natural greenfield auditorium and to our upland stage to experience the biggest little festival this side of anywhere!

Concerts, ceilidhs, dances, clubs and sessions.

The Orkney Folk Festival is widely regarded as one of the most prolific and special throughout Scotland, the UK and further afield.

The three venues that are used the most are the Stromness Town Hall, the Stromness Academy Lecture Theatre and the Stromness Hotel's function room. Other events take place in local community centres/village halls.

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.

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.

A mixed festival, at previous events there was a strong bias for folk music on the Friday. so take a look closer to the date to see if this happens this year.

Workshops, Battle of the Bands, local brews, family entertainment. Three stages, with one dedicated to acoustic music.

Formerly known as Howth Tradfest.
A mostly free Irish and traditional Music Festival in the picturesque fishing village of Howth, 25 minutes from the centre of Dublin. This vibrant festival promises to immerse attendees in the melodies and rhythms of both the past and present, creating an unforgettable experience for music enthusiasts of all ages.
(Note: we were sent a link to https://www.feilebinneadair.ie/ but that didn't work. However the link we give does work.)

Fishguard's Folk Festival brings together its unique mix of local talent and well-known performers to provide four days of songs, tunes and dance. Most events are still free, and whether you want to play, sing, dance or just watch and listen, there is always a choice of things to do in throughout this fun-packed friendly festival. Add in the beauty of the location on the world famous Pembrokeshire coast and you have the perfect weekend.

The world's largest festival of philosophy and music is back - HowTheLightGetsIn returns to Hay-On-Wye on 24th-27th May!

Amongst the beautiful Black Mountains, you'll find the world's leading thinkers debating today's biggest ideas, as well as a spectacular array of musicians and performers.

Across 300+ events, we'll bring together superstar philosophers, trailblazing scientists, award-winning writers, and political giants to tackle the most pressing issues of our times. Join discussions designed to push the limits of what you know with speakers hand-picked for their creativity and insight.
First Speakers - https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/hay/the-big-ideas/speakers

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

One of the finest places to appreciate our rich tradition of music, song, verse, drama and story, and, at the same time, enjoy listening to, or using, the broad 'Doric' language which is still very much alive here in the North East, and enjoy a friendly family atmosphere where contestants have come from a' the airt's and pairt's o' Scotland and sometimes beyond.

A bit like the Irish festivals that are competitions.

Uses several locations on the island.

Has it's own website now (previously we linked to a site which regularly talked about it and the island in general).

Mixes folk and whisky on an island wellknown for both. And it's a very pretty island. With Concerts and Ceilidhs, usually.

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.

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.

There are many Irish traditional festivals organised throughout the summer months but there are few people who will dispute that Fleadh Nua which started in Dublin in 1970, is the forerunner of them all.

Bringing together concerts, music, song and dancing workshops, street entertainment, pageants/parades and much more.

Festival with a variety of music styles.

Organised by the well-known Irish musicians.

Multiple events.

Note: If you have an old link to their old site ending in .org, don't go there, it now belongs to someone else, trying to capture your clicks. I think they forgot to renew the domain name in time.

The event site is now on Facebook.

Spurred on by their love of folk music and outdoor activity, and seeing potential in a farm not used to it's full potential, 20 - 30 vounteers came together on the farm to begin the journey of a big tidy up and clear out.

Through the efforts of countless volunteers and 5 festivals, we can safely say that our aims to renovate and maintain the farm have been a success. There is still work to be done, and still ideas to be brought to fruitition. It's an annual small gathering of the finest folk musicians in the world.

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 10th 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.

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!

The folk festival on Scotland's lovely little island.

The festival will feature a weekend of open sessions, concerts and Ceilidhs.

Site not fully updated yet.

And now they have a new website in place, so note the url above.
Site implies 3 day event but I could only tickets for two days on my last visit.

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).

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.

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!

Recently launched, Blazin' Fiddles are running an event in Biggar.

A sister fiddle school to the well established Blazin' in Beauly. This summer the band will launch 'Blazin' in Biggar' - bringing together fiddlers, guitarists and piano players for a weekend of great workshops and music making.

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

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.

This is very much a mixture of everything you might find at a festival of some sort - circus, jazz, rockabilly, acoustic, dance, folk. brass, swing.

Spread over four days, you might find something you like. Not your standard folk festival, but family friendly fun.

Steadily gaining a following.

A great lineup over three days with lots of Irish music.

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!

An international festival based in the picturesque village of Ballydehob, West Cork, featuring maritime and other folk music.
Sea songs, shanties, dance, craft market, maritime food stalls, workshops, sea songwriting competition, busking, music in the pubs and main stage on Ballydehob pier. There will also be an Art Expo throughout the weekend.

Fabulous music every June on the stunning Gower peninsula.

Tickets limited usually to 350 - 400, so get your soon.

Look at their fabulous location!

There are concerts, a dance, competitions, informal sessions and various other events during the weekend. This page will provide more details as events are finalised.
(Site incomplete just now.)

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.

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.

BuskFest is an international busking festival / competition which takes place in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. The event, which has been going for over 20 years, attracts 6000+ people from across the globe to Banbridge Town Centre.

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.

NOTE THE NEW DATE !!!

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'.

Killin Music Fest is a three day event held in the heart of Scotland in June, celebrating Scottish music, culture and tradition.

Showcasing the unique culture of Scotland and its music, the festival includes performances from local, national, and international musicians, and hosts a variety of community, heritage, arts, and family activities.

The event is held in the beautiful surroundings of the Scottish Highlands, less than an hour’s drive north of Stirling. We aim to inspire, nurture community and artistic networks, and keep our music and traditions thriving.

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

Dances - Displays - Workshops - Morris Tours

Various locations in Oban.

Website looks promising, but no fully updated yet.

Prices available soon.

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.

A 3 day festival for our global community with the stated objective as the expansion of consciousness from the material to the ethereal.

Mixed genre, with a fair bit of acoustic and folk music. Check the line up to see if it suits you.

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.

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.

Portsoy's annual celebration of our rich maritime and cultural heritage. . . beautiful boats . . . exhilarating skiff races on the open seas . . . maritime and rural craft demonstrations . . . non-stop song and dance . . .mouth-watering food and drink and adventure at the Sports Village (not just for kids!). Not stop song and dance, with an acoustic and Scottish flavour.

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

An Irish summer school, as you might have guessed.

The Bodhran Summerschool is arranged around a series of classes given by some of the world's best bodhran players and teachers, but also includes special workshops relating to the instrument itself, and traditional Irish music in general. Every evening, music sessions are held in the island's pubs, and students are welcome to bring their drum and join in. On two evenings, concerts are performed by two top-class bands.

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.

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.

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.

Fabulous rural setting near the stunning minster town of Southwell. An awesome line-up of folk, Americana, world, ska, punk, jazz, blues & more over 4 days. On-site camping theatre, spoken word, comedy, street food, cask ales, great traders, campfire sessions, kids’ events, ceilidhs, dogs welcome.

In 2021 we moved to a beautiful new lakeside parkland at Kirklington, which has even more space to camp (you can bring your vehicle onto the campsite so there's no need to lug tents and equipment about).

You'll find over 50 artists performing on 3 main stages plus a children's stage and a workshop tent, and further occasional performances in the main bar and by the boathouse bar. The Lake Stage (our biggest) is now undercover. One of the other main stages is also undercover, and the other is open.

Dance remains a popular part of the festival with an emphasis on variety and entertainment. Ceilidhs or other social folk dances normally take place each day on site. We also programme time for sessions in the bar and by the campfire.

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

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

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

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.

52nd Anniversary

A major traditional Irish music, song and dance event, held annually in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, Ireland.

With instrument and dance classes, lectures, workshops, recitals and ceilithe all through the week.

Each year since 1947, over 4,000 performers from across the globe head to the beautiful little Welsh town to take part in a unique event combining competition, performance, and international peace and friendship. Around 25 different competitions celebrate song, music and dance, climaxing with the prestigious 'Choir of the World' where winning choirs compete for the Pavarotti Trophy.
Traditional folk singing and dancing from across the globe.

And some of the biggest stars from other music genres as well!

A new event, back for its fourth year.

Takes place in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Site for 2025 not updated yet.

Coming from near and - very - far. Some with countless 'hits' or 'views' or 'followers' on various media platforms; some with few. Some with record company deals; others producing self-released albums. All did wonderfully.

The small NE Coastal Town of Stonehaven comes alive with a Weekend of Music and song - Concerts in the Town Hall plus workshops, Ceilidh, sessions, late-night concerts, free afternoon concerts, Family show, Aqua ceilidh, World Paper and Comb Championships, Tradition Bearers Concert and more all around the Town.

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.

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!

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

Mixture of various media, incliding folk music, celebrating its 20th anniversary. With individual event tickets, you can choose your favourite artists to suit your taste in music and entertainment.

The Fringe is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers.

As well as attracting visitors from all over the UK, the Fringe continues to grow its local following and is achieving its aim to become 'the festival for the town in the town' - thanks to everyone in our audience.

We had to click on the Tickets on sale banner to see the dates, etc.

10th event is 2025.

A family-run festival in two towns separated by a river.

Music and Dance event.

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

Think picture-perfect white sands. World-famous surf. Deserted roads lined with lush greenery and wild flowers. Not forgetting more sunshine than practically anywhere else in the UK. It's little wonder that the tiny Hebridean island of Tiree is nicknamed the Hawaii of the North.

Add to this three separate campsites - the main campsite, family campsite and campervan area - and the now famous Community Village with its many stalls and events, and TMF guarantees you an authentic flavour of Tiree. Which, in a nutshell, is the whole idea behind the festival.

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.

Competitions, concerts, workshops, street entertainment, ceili, sessions, singing.
What do you expect? It's Ireland.

Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan is the largest provincial Fleadh in Ireland as thousands of musicians, singers, dancers, storytellers and visitors from the six counties of Munster and beyond gather for an annual celebration of our Irish cultural traditions. The town of Tralee is steeped in tradition and previously has hosted Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan in 1978.

An abundance of music, song and dance at the many impromptu sessions as well as dancing venues around the town.

Includes a wide selection of outdoor and indoor concerts, workshops, competitions, and street sessions.

Site is slow at loading.

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.

Summer School of Traditional Irish Music, Song & Dance. Our programme includes a broad range of classes, workshops, interactive talks and masterclasses as well as nightly ceilis, concerts and informal music sessions.

This is not a single venue event so you cannot buy one ticket that covers all events. Please choose carefully to make sure you make the most of your festival experience.
There will be a weekend ticket covering the events in the main arena
Features Hebridean music galore

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.

From small beginnings in 2013 the Folk on the Farm festival has quickly established itself as one of the highlights of the folk festival calendar, attracting hundreds each year and featuring some of the best folk artists from around the UK.

Includes Quality Real Ale (from The Great Orme Brewery Company), Festival Food, Stalls, Fringe Festival in Cafe, Singarounds & Sessions.

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 Welsh festival of, well, Welsh folk music. One of the biggest Welsh Festivals.

If you have a guitar in the attic, or a bodhran in the cupboard, or maybe a fiddle under the bed, then bring them along! There is sure to be a jamming session in a pub or two.

If you're a musician who would like to play in front of an audience, there will be a busking stage on the Square where you could perform in front of the crowd.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering.

48th year!

Based in Peel, Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering is a celebration of Manx
culture and the relationship between the Isle of Man and the other five
Celtic countries (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany).

Musicians, singers and dancers!! Concerts, ceilis, sessions, free events and workshops.

As in previous years we are posting this under Scotland and Ireland due to its Celtic theme, as we don't have a separate Isle of Man page.

Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering.

48th year!

Based in Peel, Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering is a celebration of Manx
culture and the relationship between the Isle of Man and the other five
Celtic countries (Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany).

Musicians, singers and dancers!! Concerts, ceilis, sessions, free events and workshops.

As in previous years we are posting this under Scotland and Ireland due to its Celtic theme, as we don't have a separate Isle of Man page.

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

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.

A newish three day festival of music, food and fun that is going from strength to strength. This accessible and hugely friendly family festival all takes places a mere thirty-five miles as the crow flies from Glasgow.
Lots of great bands.
Plus a great variety of foods for you to try.

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.

EDF is working in conjunction with charitable and educational bodies to identify emerging talent on the island and to give them a platform to perform. There will also be opportunities to learn about digital media, the Gaelic language and to listen to local and visiting musicians.

EDF is about a lot more than just the music. We will also be showcasing "Made in the Hebrides" products.

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.

At the end of July, the playing fields on East Street in the Moray town of Fochabers will be home to the 23rd annual Speyfest, three days of the best in traditional and contemporary Celtic music.

Concerts, Ceilidhs and Stomps. Free to enter Craft Fair and Festival Clubs. Some of the biggest names from the world of traditional and contemporary Celtic music.

The Festival is a unique celebration, bringing together outstanding traditional singers from Scotland, England, and Ireland. The event is especially for those who like to hear, enjoy, and join in unaccompanied traditional singing. Essentially informal, friendly and non-competitive, it will be just the place to encourage the young and less experienced as well as the old hands. The weekend includes ceilidhs featuring the guest singers, singarounds for everyone who can join in, workshops, craft demonstrations and a talk.

For the 35thtime!

Every July Drumshanbo plays host to the award-winning Joe Mooney Summer School, a week-long festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance named after the man who did so much to promote the cause of Leitrim and his beloved town. The committee continues to emulate his high ideals, endeavouring to promote Leitrim's heritage of traditional music while handing on the best traditions of the past to future generations.

Belfast TradFest, the pinnacle of world-class traditional music concerts, fiery pub sessions and Ireland's fastest growing summer school of traditional music, is set to celebrate its 5th edition this July across Belfast UNESCO City of Music.
Featuring a week long programme of workshops and a full programme of concerts, talks, lectures, sessions, ceilis and festival clubs.

The Summer School’s team of tutors is made up of internationally renowned performers with proven track records as teachers and educationalists. Beginner instrument classes, Whistle & Sing, Traditional Singing, Amhránaíocht, Sean-Nós Dancing and Set Dancing are suitable for all levels, including beginners. All other classes are designed for intermediate to advanced (minimum 2 years instrument experience) adults and children over 6 years of age.

Masterclass places are available to book now, visit belfasttradfest.com for the full list of classes and confirmed tutors.

Describes itself as quirky. Has quite a variety of styles of music, some of which may appeal to you. Large number of acts, including folk groups.
Vote the UK's most popular summer music festival at TripAdvisor, so it's clearly doing something right.

Cambridge Folk Festival has decided it is having a year off and will return in 2026.

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.

This will be the 28th Event!

The Festival has entertained locals and visitors every August Bank Holiday Weekend. This year will be one of the biggest and best festivals to date. We have music for all generations from Folk to Country. There will be loads of street entertainment through out the days with lots of activities for all the family.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

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

For the 71ST 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.

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.

The BIG one!
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is one of the great festivals of the world, attracting over 160,000 visitors every year. An eclectic mixture of culture, music, visual arts and all kinds of activities for people of all ages, there's something for everyone on the Maes during the first week of August every year.

The Eisteddfod is a travelling festival which belongs to the people of Wales.

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.

A week long event, featuring concerts, competitions, singing, walking tours, and lots more. There's even FleadhTV which will broadcast live from 8.30pm to 11.30pm over four nights from Thursday to Sunday on TG4 as well as live on tg4.tv and here on fleadhcheoil.ie

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.

A large event covering a large variety of music styles, in it's 11th 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.

For the 38th Time!!

Visitors from all over the world come to a festival that now has international recognition.

Variety of events over a week-long festival.

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.

An 11 day feast of visual art, classical music, theatre and dance, jazz world and traditional Irish music, literature, film, architecture, indie music, craft and children's events.

60th Anniversary in 2025

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!

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.

A new one for our lists.

It will bring established artists in the Folk, World and Roots scene to perform alongside new and emerging acts, both locally and from around the country.

Not only will the festival have some of Scotland’s finest artists, it will showcase some of the best acts from the rest of the UK and overseas.

This year will see the 26th 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.

2022 was the first such event, and it was successful enough to stage its third event, for 2024.

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.

The HowthRootsandBluesFestival is a free music festival in Howth showcasing the best in Irish roots and blues artists.

While many of the artists are blues based the festival caters for fans of Country, Rhythm and Blues, Bluegrass, Americanna and reggae. Basically anything rootsy!!

The festival will take place across 6 local venues.

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.

A very focused festival, on piping.

Glasgow become the heart of the Piping world with events happening around the clock.

Lots of individual events spread over 7 days and 14 venues.

A large independant event, with a wide range of artists, and genres, more than 100 acts playing indie, psychedelia, Americana, and folk across 5 stages. Food stalls and a bar will be open in the evening. Many different themes.

Check to see if it matches your tastes.

Supports the Bevan Foundation as well.

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

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.

As ever Ireland's unique Irish Traditional Music Festival will be headlined by Martin Hayes, the fiddler from East Clare, whose distinctive touch and extravagant virtuosity has brought the tradition to new levels. His famous trance-evoking sets with Dennis Cahill have mesmerised audiences all over the world.

A mixture of events whick includes a fair bit of acoustic music and ceilidhs, and traditional music.

Satisfying an ambition of the Festival to showcase the very best in traditional and contemporary music worldwide whilst also displaying the region's cultural individuality through the talents of the local musicians of all ages.

Music - Natural Science - Art
An idyllic, new, 100 acre, woodland site in South Wales.

Between The Trees has a unique theme of music, natural science and art. The festival aims to engage people of all ages with the natural world and to re-connect younger generations with the wonder and restorative qualities that this woodland environment offers. Musically, it is grounded in contemporary folk, Americana and acoustic roots genres, blending new exciting talent with more established performers; the music is wholly original and always wonderful.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Site not fully updated on our last visit, but the organisers have assured me

Multiple venues within a small area of the town. With a few free events.
Features evening and daytime concerts, sessions, open mics, singarounds and workshops.

Good value for money.

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.

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

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.

It runs for three days and is priced very reasonably indeed.

Includes workshops, open sessions, craft stalls and Ceilidh.

Site now updated.

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.

A great little festival on a great little island - described as a remote Atlantic rock (with 120 people on it).

Support this special event.

Usually about half the tickets are pre-booked, so don't miss out by leaving things too late.

It's a festival about guitars - the clue's in the name. So fair bit of acoustic stuff.

A celebration of the guitar. It is not starch collared or stuffy nosed, from virtuosos.

The Festival is run by a small not for profit organisation of music lovers and we are very proud of the rich, relaxed, educational, exciting & artistic environment our festival creates in our beautiful seaside town.

For the duration of our festival our whole town is the stage with performances & events happening in all manner of venue from the local schools & library to the bars & butcher shops!

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.

Traditional music from Ireland and England too. One of the major Irish festivals.

46th event!

Since its birth in 1979, Cork Folk Festival has earned a reputation for bringing together some of the biggest names on the traditional and folk scene - as well as championing some of its up-and-coming stars.

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.

Not a lot on their site when we last checked. But the name gives you a strong clue to what is going on.

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!

25th Birthday !!!

Expect full immersion into the music, culture and craic of the Highlands of Scotland, things which Blazin' Fiddles have been championing throughout their many years in the Scottish music scene.

Sessions and tutors.

A unique opportunity to learn from the band and their special guest tutors as well as take part in sessions, concerts, masterclasses and ceilidhs whilst establishing new connections in a stunning part of the country.
Fab for fiddle fans.

Showcasing the very best in young traditional music

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

Another event featuring flutes and whistles in Scotland. Web site has been updated recently to include prices and performers. And details of the workshops, sessions, talks, performances and more as well.

The Scots Fiddle Festival, sustaining and promoting traditional fiddle music.

Concerts, recitals, workshops, talks, festival club, ceilidhs, open stage, sessions, stalls, free events and lots more.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

The Tenby Blues Festival has grown rapidly and is now firmly established as one of the major events in the UK Blues calendar. This intimate and friendly festival has built its reputation on the strength of its line up that just gets better by the year.

Site not fully updated on our last visit.

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.