Latest Festival News

Now established as one of the UK’s best music events, Nottinghamshire’s Gate to Southwell Festival will celebrate its 18th birthday this summer.  Having been shortlisted for Best Small Festival at the UK Awards in December, it’ll be 18 years since the first event happened on a much smaller scale in ...

This year, Anstruther in Fife will be at the heart of East Neuk Festival’s 20th anniversary celebrations (25-29 June) with a vibrant weekend programme of jazz, traditional, and guitar music taking place in four of the town’s venues. Highlights include Northumberland’s legendary folk artist Kathryn Tickell with her band The Darkening playing tunes from ...

Paul Johnson talks to Kai Hoffman who is the new festival director of Broadstairs Folk Week 2025 Broadstairs folk week reaches its 60th year.. and celebrates in style. Welcome to my feature of the Broadstairs folk weeks special 60th anniversary year. The Broadstairs folk week festival is a very special ...

Constantly on a quest to seek out ‘exclusives’, Suffolk’s FolkEast will play host to a very special ‘trio’ premiere this August at its new Sotterley Estate home. Harmonica and melodeon genius Will Pound and classical percussion magician Delia Stevens (already a duo) will join forces with celebrated nature writer Robert ...

Set to take over some of the city’s most beloved venues, Manchester Folk Festival returns in a fortnight! Moving from its regular October slot, the event will run from Thursday 20th to Sat 22nd March, bringing with it some of the most renowned and exciting names from across the folk ...

A much-loved Scottish festival at the foot of Ben Nevis, which was revived last year at the hands of Scottish cultural visionary Gary Innes, has announced plans for another spectacular edition.  Fort William’s Lochaber Live had lain dormant for 30 years until it was rebooted last September, welcoming crowds of 7,000 to the ...

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has released its complete 2025 line-up following the announcement of four new artists.    Organisers have tempted Newcastle folk rockers Holy Moly & The Crackers out of their hiatus for a one-off festival exclusive show on Saturday August 23. The festival will also host two performances of This Flight Tonight – ...

England’s most easterly folk festival – Suffolk’s FolkEast – has officially revealed the site of its new home. The perennially popular festival, founded and organised by husband-and-wife team Becky and John Marshall-Potter, began in 2012 at Somerleyton Hall, close to Lowestoft but had taken place at Glemham Hall, near Woodbridge for the past ...

Hi Paul Johnson here, and I like thousands of other people across all ages, not just in the media but in life in general am a huge Fairport Convention fan..Thankfully, and largely thanks to our relationship with Fairport we've built over 35 years or more through the folking.com team and ...

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has released its second wave of artists for this August’s event including Canadian singer songwriter Martha Wainwright and a special focus on Scottish music. Wainwright, who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her eponymous first studio album in 2025, will make her Shrewsbury debut as will Cajun Roosters, Kezia Gill, Mad Dog Mcrea, Morganway, Naragonia Quartet (Belgium), Rainbow ...

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL – the four-day folk and roots music festival hosted annually in the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cambridge since 1965 – will return in summer 2026. Throughout 2025 the festival will continue to support the folk community with a series of locally based events throughout Cambridge, ...

The Sidmouth Folk Festival is all fired up and poised to ignite the beautiful Devon seaside town for the 71st time in summer 2025 with an exceptional programme of inspirational music, song, dance, merriment and spectacle. A host of top drawer artists from all corners of the British Isles and ...

7th - 9th August Cropredy Village, nr Banbury, Oxfordshire Seminal Folk Rockers Fairport Convention are very happy to announce the line up for their Cropredy Convention in August, and by turn marking 45 years bringing some of the biggest names in music to a quiet corner of Oxfordshire. Taking place across the 7th, 8th and ...

Cork City | 21 – 24 November 2024 As the hush of autumn falls, Islander announce the 5th iteration of their winter festival, Quiet Lights, taking place in venues across Cork City, from the 21st-24th November 2024. Quiet Lights is an exciting and well-loved winter festival with a big heart, ...

In a week’s time the Deepdale Camping & Rooms team will welcome an incredible array of musical talent for Deepdale Festival 2024, their music festival with a heart of folk. Headliners include Man The Lifeboats on Thursday, Bonfire Radicals and Track Dogs on Friday, Skinny Lister and Granny’s Attic on ...

Bungay Folk Festival Friday 6th-Sunday 8th September. 3 days of fine folk music, dance, workshops, food and drink.  Small town with a big and creative heart stages first of many more to come folk festivals with the whole town taking part. A full and packed programme is in place for the ...

Suffolk’s FolkEast festival has always been one for innovation and this month, for its 12th year – and its last at Glemham Hall - it is proud to present two official premieres and a special preview featuring some of UK folk’s finest names. The FolkEast ‘firsts’ kick off on Friday, ...

Amazingly warm and dry weather and the best in contemporary roots music greeted fans as they flocked to the Stuntney Estate last weekend for the 38th Ely Folk Festival. Three stages hosted a dazzling array of artists from world-renowned headliners to the brightest rising stars. Together with the full programme ...

Manchester Folk Festival makes its eagerly awaited return to the city’s Northern Quarter and Ancoats' best-loved venues on Thursday 20th - Saturday 22nd March 2025. Moving from its regular October slot, the event is now “a springtime staple for music lovers” (Tradfolk), promising even more music, Morris dancing and merriment ...

The East Neuk Festival begins next week (26-30 June) with a celebratory programme of music to mark 20 years since it was first founded, thanks to support from Creative Scotland, EventScotland and the generosity of its patrons, partners, and various trusts and foundations. This year’s five-day programme offers unique, curated ...

Dearest Stargazers, it is with heavy hearts that we announce this year’s festival will be our last for now and that we have decided to take a break on our festival journey. Worry not though, all is on track to ensure that 2024 will be our best yet and a ...

Wickham Festival is moving home – but only a few hundred yards. The popular long-running event is switching to a different site for this year’s festival from August 1-4 headlined by rock goddess Suzi Quatro, Curtis Stigers and the Levellers. Winchester City Council have just approved the transfer to a ...

The UK’s first and finest Americana festival is pleased to announce its full line-up for 2024. Maverick Festival will take place from Friday 5th July to Sunday 7th, showcasing artists from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond. The barns and fields of Easton Farm Park in rural Suffolk will ...

THE NEW FESTIVAL KID ON THE BLOCK AND WHAT A LITTLE GEM OF A FESTIVAL IT IS.... THE CHICKEN STOCK FESTIVAL The Festival takes place across two neighbouring farms in Stockbury, in a stunning rural location in a small hamlet just outside Sittingbourne in Kent. In the ever increasing competitive ...

The 17th Gate To Southwell Festival looks set to be the most successful yet, with high advance ticket sales and more than 5000 visitors expected to visit “England’s perfect market town” (The Telegraph) from Thursday July 4th to Sunday July 7th. With over 60 international quality artists performing across four ...

FESTIVAL DATES: Friday 3 May - Monday 13 May 2024 A packed programme of music, film and storytelling kicks off Edinburgh Tradfest this weekend (3 May to 13 May) thanks to continued support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation. The eleven day Festival opens ...

One of the UK’s most successful female rock, blues and jazz singers leads the list of final artists just announced for this year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival Elkie Brooks, whose Pearls album became the most successful chart album by a British female when it was released, will headline the closing day ...

The forward-thinking Govan Music Festival opens in Glasgow today as it gears up for four days of progressive performances and inclusive cultural participation at venues across the historic district. As the city gets set to enjoy the first days of spring, the event will see the south west corner of Glasgow blooming ...

The first names have been revealed for the 10th year celebration of Yorkshire’s award winning boutique festival, Underneath The Stars festival, which returns Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th August. This year is set to be a fitting celebration of all that is great about this small but mighty music and ...

Belle And Sebastian, Levellers, Dexys, Flogging Molly and CMAT are just some of the big name headliners announced for this year’s Moseley Folk And Arts Festival (Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September 2024). The leading UK folk music and arts festival, which is based in Birmingham, has a long ...

Robert Plant presents Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian Transatlantic Sessions exclusive UK Festival appearance Aoife O’Donovan – Capercaillie - Dani Larkin Fantastic Negrito - Flamy Grant - Jerry Douglas Katherine Priddy - The Langan Band - Larkin Poe - Mec Lir Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle Mitsune - ...

Rock Goddess Suzi Quatro is set to headline a star-studded line-up at this year’s Wickham Festival. The American legend will join the Levellers, Seth Lakeman, Tony Christie and many more at the popular event which runs from August 1-4. The Detroit-born singer will top the bill on the Friday night ...

The Reeling Festival, Glasgow’s summer celebration of Scottish traditional music has confirmed its full lineup up for 2024 – with some of the biggest names on the Scottish music scene taking to the Rouken Glen Park on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June 2024. Saturday night at the festival will ...

Opening this year’s Festival on Friday 3 May, thanks to support from the National Lottery through Creative Scotland, will be Daniel Docherty and Martyn MacDonald whose band Valtos has taken the trad and electronic music world by storm. Valtos’ music has been described by Folk Radio UK as "like nothing you've heard ...

There are already great expectations for this summer's Gate To Southwell Festival (July 4th to 7th). The GTSF organisers have confirmed high-quality international headliners such as multi-award winning American folk legend Rhiannon Giddens (nominated for two more Grammys in 2024), celebrated Scottish band Manran, traditional Irish music stars The Haar and a triumvirate ...

One of the most celebrated events in the UK summer calendar, Cambridge Folk Festival is delighted to announce that tickets are now on sale for 2024. The Festival will take place from Thursday 25 July to Sunday 28 July in the picturesque grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. During a bumper ...

IMDL are incredibly pleased to announce London’s 25th annual festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance – Return to London Town 2023! From Friday 27th to Monday 30th October 2023 there will be concerts, album launches, workshops, céilís, sessions and more, for all the family. Events will be held ...

With just over two weeks to go, Birmingham's Moseley Folk and Arts Festival (Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September 2023) have announced the addition of Billy Bragg to their line-up. Joining Wilco and Stornoway on Sunday night's bill, Billy steps in to replace The Proclaimers, who have unfortunately cancelled all their forthcoming dates due to ...

With Birmingham’s Moseley Folk and Arts Festival 2023 just a few weeks away, the line-up for the woods area of the festival has now been unveiled in full. Curated by (and named after) Stone Club, the programme promises an eclectic and intriguing series of screenings, conversations, ideas and more. Highlights across ...

Tickets selling fast. Book now at: https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival/tickets THURSDAY 27 JULY  STAGE 2 Ibibio Sound Machine - Symbio – Flyte – Gnoss  STAGE 3 Jesca Hoop - Nigel Wearne - The Vanguards - Georgie Buchanan Trio Frog on a Bike THE DEN Niall McNamee - me + deboe - Sam Wilkinson ...

Gaelic culture and music to be celebrated in September across the Highlands & Islands at Blas Festival The Highland 9-day festival returns in September Some of Scotland’s best-loved traditional musicians and singers, including Ross Ainslie, Tim Edey, Jenna Cumming, Ruairidh Gray, Ewen Henderson and Deirdre Graham, will take to the ...

The only UK festival gig of 2023 for Scottish songstress Eddi Reader and a debut visit from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers top the list of the final acts for this year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival. Capercaillie, The Sharon Shannon Trio, O’Hooley & Tidow, Peter Knight and John Spiers, Blue Rose Code, Simeon Hammond Dallas, Sidiki Jobarteh, a solo gig from former Oysterband ...

The Proclaimers, Midge Ure and the Saw Doctors will head up a star-studded line-up at The Wickham Festival. Tickets are already selling fast for the ever-popular event in the heart of Hampshire from August 3-6 with fans eager to see a host of top names. Top attraction are the Saturday ...

This summer’s 16th Gate To Southwell Festival (June 29-July 2) looks certain to be the East Midlands’ most international, entertaining and musically diverse event yet. Seth Lakeman and The Kris Drever Band are among the latest headline acts added to the highly anticipated long weekend folk roots World and acoustic ...

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has announced the latest wave of artists for this year’s festival including Joachim Cooder, the first lady of Celtic music Moya Brennan and the first ever English gig for Nordic folk trio Dreamers’ Circus. Also added to the line up for the August Bank Holiday event are The Cathy Jordan Trio, ...

Cambridge Folk Festival has a long-standing reputation for providing a platform for up-and-coming new artists and nurturing promising young talent. This commitment continues in 2023 with a fascinating programme for Emerging Talent Stage The Den. Once again displaying an unerring knack for spotting tomorrow’s stars today, Cambridge will host the ...

FolkEast will pay tribute to one of folk’s favourite performers this August in Saturday night’s ‘The Sartin Singaround’. Paul Sartin, oboe and fiddle player with the multi award-winning Bellowhead and a member of Faustus and Belshazzar’s Feast, died suddenly last September, aged just 51. A regular performer at FolkEast, Paul ...

This summer’s 16th Gate To Southwell Festival (June 29-July 2) looks certain to be the Midlands’ most international, entertaining and musically diverse event yet, with Sunday’s headliners and other key artists still to be announced. Among the headline acts already confirmed are acclaimed World music stars The Raghu Dixit Project who perform highly ...

CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES BRAND NEW LOOK STAGE 3, THE FORMER CLUB TENT, PROVIDING A SHOWCASE PLATFORM FOR RISING ARTISTS FROM THE UK & IRELAND AND MORE   England (New Routes Cambridge Junction): Emily Fraser, Honey & The Bear, Max Bianco, Simeon Hammond Dallas, The Smith & Brewer Band  Ireland: The ...

In May Norfolk & Norwich Festival will take place across the county with a world-class programme spanning music, theatre, literature, visual arts, circus, dance and free outdoor events. The UK’s oldest single city arts festival has recently announced the full programme of folk and traditional music events on offer across 17 days between ...

Wimborne Minster Folk Festival is back for 2023. This ever popular festival fills the streets of Wimborne with colour, music and dance from the 9th to the 11th of June. Music acts this year, performing at concerts at the Main stage at the Allendale include Trials of Cato, Ranagri, The Joshua Burnell ...

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has released its latest wave of artists for 2023 with a DJ set from The Dhol Foundation and debut visits from Scottish indie folk band Elephant Sessions and California based roots band Dustbowl Revival among the new additions. Also just revealed are the Gigspanner Big Band, Show of Hands frontman Steve Knightley with a solo set, ...

Moseley Folk And Arts Festival (Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September 2023) has added even more artists to this year's line-up.  With ticket sales already at a record breaking peak, among the latest additions to the long-running Birmingham festival are Stornoway (Sunday), rising comedy star Josh Pugh (Sunday), and award-winning ...

This week Edinburgh Tradfest launched its 2023 programme of traditional live music, storytelling, dance, workshops, talks, ceilidhs, and special events taking place at various venues across the city, thanks to continued support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland and the William Grant Foundation. Over the eleven days of the Festival, hundreds ...

More incredible artists have been announced for this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival, including folk icon, US singer-songwriter Judy Collins in a very special performance with the Unity String Quartet, celebrating her landmark 1967 album Wildflowers. During a career spanning more than six decades and 55 albums, Judy Collins has graced ...

A second wave of names have been announced for Yorkshire’s award winning boutique festival, Underneath The Stars Festival, which returns on Friday 4th to Sunday 6th August. Joining this year’s line-up are a number of festival favourites, some back by popular demand. There will be a rare appearance from cult ...

The Maverick Festival will once again take place in the glorious surroundings of Easton Farm Park, Suffolk set in thirty acres of rural heaven yet only two hours from London. We are pleased to announce that the magical story-teller and masterful songsmith Tom Russell, Nashville-born New York-based country music maven ...

Bristol Folk Festival returns with a stellar line-up of UK and world artists taking to stages across the city at the end of April for the Bank Holiday weekend (Fri 28 April – Sun 30 April). Critically acclaimed trio Lady Maisery open the festival with a special concert in the ...

Irish legends The Saw Doctors are the latest big-name addition to Birmingham's Moseley Folk and Arts Festival (Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September 2023). Starting out playing in Galway pubs, The Saw Doctors reached a wider audience after Mike Scott of The Waterboys plucked them from obscurity and asked the lads to support The Waterboys around Ireland on the Fisherman’s ...

The first names have been revealed for Yorkshire’s award winning boutique festival, Underneath The Stars festival, which returns on the new dates of Friday 4th to Sunday 6th August. This year sees another eclectic, high quality line-up in the beautiful setting of Cinderhill Farm, Barnsley. Returning for its ninth year, ...