Swanage Folk Festival 11th-13th of September 2026
A music and dance spectacle, filling Swanage for a whole weekend.
Swanage Folk Festival is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community festival bringing music, dance and joy to Swanage each summer. Founded in 1992, it celebrates folk traditions, from bands and songs to Morris dancers enthusiastically jangling bells and thwacking sticks.
Not for profit
The organisers are volunteers, the income covers the costs and if there’s any surplus it’s donated to local good causes. Keeping the festival rooted in community, colour and connection. Enjoy the free concerts or choose to watch those where you need to buy tickets (we have to pay artists and for the equipment hire).
Top class bands
Over 22 top bands from across UK and Europe in 9 different concertsl
Biggest UK festival of dance sides
The dancers are the most colourful part of the festival. They perform throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday; stop and watch them for free.
Craft, food and beer tent
There’s nothing better than browsing, relaxing, eating, drinking and soaking up the vibe on Sandpit field.
Workshops
Dance and music workshops running through the two days, learn new techniques or polish up old ones.
Swanage Folk Festival history
The Swanage Folk Festival has come a long way since 1992, when it was a day of dance. Evening concerts were later added to thank and entertain the dancers. Now it’s grown into a full and varied weekend music, dance and crafts, big enough to invite very big names in UK & European Folk music.
The original idea was to extend the summer, so it takes place once the schools have gone back, two weekends after August bank holiday.
