FASH seeks to encourage greater participation in folk activities and one way that this happens is through the many festivals around the country. Festivals are amazing; they usually have a diverse range of people, of all ages, enjoying themselves making music, singing, listening or dancing.

We have several festivals in and around our area; for 2025, the dates we have are below. Where we know them, we have added in the dates for the 2026 events....

• May Heydays at Evesham 1st - 4th May 2026. No programme or tickets yet, but save the date. Note that the 2027 festival will not be able to run unless the organisers receive offers to help plan and arrange things. Deadline the end of January 2026.
  
  
• Upton-upon-Severn Folk Festival 1st - 4th May 2026. Some artists are already named on the website. Earlybird tickets will be avalable from 1st December '25.
  
  
• Winchester Mayfest 16th May 2026. Free festival - lots of dance displays, some other events. No details yet, of course, but lots of pictures of this year's event, and links to even more images.
  
  
• Chippenham Folk Festival 22nd - 25th May 2026. No details yet, but save the date.
  
  
• Wessex Folk Festival 30th and 31st May 2026. No entrance fees to Wessex Festival, "warm-up" No details yet, just the dates.
  
  
• Wimborne Minster Folk Festival 12th - 14th June 2026. Only the dates so far.
  
  
• Lichfield Folk Festival 19th - 21st June 2026. Just the dates so far.
  
  
• New Forest Folk Festival 1st - 5th July 2026. Many of next year's line-up already announced. Tickets already available at "earlybird" prices until the end of December '25.
  
  
• Warwick Folk Festival 23rd – 27th July 2026. Only dates so far.
  
  
• Wickham Festival 30th July - 2nd August 2026. Only dates so far.
  
  
• Sidmouth Folk Week 31st July - 2nd August 2026. Tickets already on sale.
  
  
• Purbeck Valley Folk Festival 20th - 23rd August 2026. Tickets already on sale.
  
  
• Found Festival 28th - 31st August 2026. Tickets already on sale.
  
  
• Lyme Folk Weekend 29th - 31st August 2025. Lyme Regis Folk Festival. Main concert details on the website. Weekend tickets and individual concert tickets available. No details about the rest of the festival.
  
  
• Wallingford Bunkfest 29th - 31st August 2025. Lots of information on the website. Couple of ceilidhs for which they ask a donation. Full line-up still to be announced; full programme is probably only available from the festival shop.
  
  
• Swanage Folk Festival 5th - 7th September 2025. Some free events. Weekend tickets cover the evening events; afternoon concerts are extra. Tickets already on sale.
  
  
• Southdowns Folk Festival (Bognor Regis) 19th - 21st September 2025. Guests for the two main evening concerts announced, couple of free 'Pier Concerts' also planned.
  
  
• Malmesbury Folk and Roots Festival 20th September 2025. All details now on website.

The list is far from exhaustive and there are many other festivals further afield. Most of the Folk Festivals in the UK are listed here. Sadly, EFDSS, who used to have a comprehensive list, no longer seem to be listing Folk Festivals.

All these festivals vary. Some are all about Morris dance displays with perhaps a ceilidh one evening, others are all about dancing, or listening to bands on stages. There are also festivals which have a wide range of workshops, dances, concerts and displays. Some festivals are in towns with hotel accommodation, others have camping.

If anyone cares to write about any other festivals, then it would be great. Please send them to the Solent Waves Editor or see our contacts page