UK Folk Festivals - Coming Soon

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

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

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

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

A new one for our lists.
Site not fully updated on our last visit.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Note the NEW LOCATION for this, the 14th 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.

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

Very family focused, with circus acts, music, films, children's entertainment.
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The festival features some well known and talented main acts, plus local and national, up and coming artists.
A small friendly festival. Sing-a-rounds too.

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.

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.

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.

For the 53rd time !
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 twelth 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 sometimes kept secret for quite some time.

New to us.
It replaces the Towersey Festival

Describes itself as a micro 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

Also known as BAAFest

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

No sheep were harmed in the production of their website.

Now in it's 3rd year.

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

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

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

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

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

Run by a new team of familiar faces.

Our tradition of an eclectic folk selection continues this year.

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

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 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

Join Wyrd Folk for a folk moot, morris dances, author talks, films, makers market and brilliant bands.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

A mixed genre event, with a folk element for you to enjoy. More than 25 venues and 250 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.

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.