About

Bath Folk Festival 2026

Bath Folk Festival returns, bringing ten days of live folk music, traditional sessions, dancing, storytelling, workshops and performances to venues across the city.

The festival celebrates folk music and traditions in their many forms, with a packed programme featuring established performers, emerging artists, informal music sessions and opportunities for audiences to get involved.

Events take place at pubs, music venues and community spaces across Bath, including The Grapes, Bath Laboratory of Culture, The Bell, The Crown, The Royal Oak, Chapel Arts, Komedia, Green Park Station and the Royal United Hospital.

From Irish, English, French and Breton sessions to bluegrass, sea shanties and American old-time music, the festival showcases a broad range of folk traditions. Visitors can also enjoy ceilidh dancing, storytelling, workshops and performances from artists including The Charlotte Carrivick Band, Robyn Hitchcock, Patterson Dipper, Violeta Vicci, Suntou Susso and many more.

Bath Folk Festival 2026 programme

Friday 2 October

Dora Darling with Jenny Bliss
7pm
Pocock Lounge at The Grapes

Irish session
8pm
The Cub

Jonnie Melancholy and the Sad Cowboys
8pm
The Grapes

The Charlotte Carrivick Band
8pm
Chapel Arts

Elly Hopkins
9pm
The Nowhere Tavern

Saturday 3 October

French and Breton Bal and Workshop
12pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Irish session
1pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Steve Lake’s Acts of Resistance and Whistling Treason
4.30pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

French and Breton session
5pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

The Towpath Singers with special guests
8pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Sea shanty session
9.30pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Sunday 4 October

Gathering of Friends at Green Park Station
12pm
Green Park Station

Mambo Jambo
1pm
The Bell

Irish session
2pm
The Crown

The Complications
4pm
The Grapes

Irish session
6pm
The Crown

Irish session
6.30pm
The Ram

Bluegrass session
7.30pm
The Claremont

Bowreed ceilidh
8pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Monday 5 October

French dance workshop
6pm
The Royal Oak

French and Breton session
8pm
The Royal Oak

Irish session
8pm
The Crown

Traditional storytelling
8pm
The Star

Tuesday 6 October

Art at the Heart with Marick Baxter and Tad Sargent
1pm
Royal United Hospital

Irish session
8pm
The Royal Oak

LightGarden with Fiery Dragon Company
8pm
St James’s Wine Vault

Singing session
8pm
The Crown

Truffle Valley Boys
9pm
The Bell

Wednesday 7 October

Art at the Heart with Patterson Dipper
1pm
Royal United Hospital

Patterson Dipper
7.30pm
Pocock Lounge at The Grapes

Irish session
8pm
The Royal Oak

Thursday 8 October

Art at the Heart with Katie Stevens and Aaron Olwell
1pm
Royal United Hospital

Open mic
Time to be confirmed
The Bell

Robyn Hitchcock
7pm
Komedia

English session
8pm
The Royal Oak

Irish session
8pm
The Crown

Irish session
8pm
The Grapes

Friday 9 October

Violeta Vicci
7.30pm
Pocock Lounge @ The Grapes

Tor
9pm
The Grapes

Eddie Ogle and The Waves Collective
11pm
The Nowhere Tavern

Saturday 10 October

Old time/American session
1pm
The Crown

Folk Tales of Britain with Jem Roberts
2pm
Pocock Lounge @ The Grapes

The Saturday Folk Shuffle with Mick ‘n’ Lydia
3pm
The Bell

Folk n’ Funny with Jem Roberts
4pm
Pocock Lounge @ The Grapes

Katie Stevens and Aaron Olwell
6pm
Pocock Lounge @ The Grapes

The Tradinettes
8pm
Pocock Lounge @ The Grapes

Headmix
9pm
The Bell

Sunday 11 October

Carmina
1pm
The Bell

Art’s Sunday Sermon presents Lauren Bradford
4pm
The Grapes

Irish session
4.30pm
The Claremont

Irish session
6.30pm
The Ram

Suntou Susso
7.30pm
Bath Laboratory of Culture

Tickets

Bath Folk Festival includes a mixture of ticketed performances, workshops, sessions and other events across venues in Bath.

Tickets for selected events are available individually, with prices varying depending on the performance and venue.

Visitors are advised to check the Bath Folk Festival programme and individual venue listings for the latest ticket prices, booking information and availability.

Advance booking is recommended for ticketed performances, particularly those taking place in smaller venues with limited capacity.

Accessibility

Bath Folk Festival takes place across multiple independent venues in Bath, so accessibility facilities vary between locations.

Visitors with specific access requirements are advised to check accessibility information directly with the venue hosting their chosen event before travelling.

Events taking place at the Royal United Hospital form part of the Art at the Heart programme.

Some festival events involve physical participation, including the French and Breton Bal and Workshop, French dance workshop and Bowreed ceilidh. Visitors should check individual event information for further details.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Bath Folk Festival 2026?

Bath Folk Festival takes place from Friday 2 - Sunday 11 October 2026.

Where is Bath Folk Festival held?

Bath Folk Festival takes place at multiple venues across Bath. These include The Grapes, Bath Laboratory of Culture, The Bell, The Crown, The Royal Oak, The Ram, The Claremont, The Star, St James’s Wine Vault, Chapel Arts, Komedia, The Nowhere Tavern, Green Park Station and the Royal United Hospital.

What's on at Bath Folk Festival 2026?

The programme includes live folk concerts, Irish music sessions, English traditional music, French and Breton music, bluegrass, sea shanties, American old-time music, storytelling, singing, workshops, ceilidh dancing and open mic performances.

Who is performing at Bath Folk Festival 2026?

The 2026 programme includes The Charlotte Carrivick Band, Dora Darling with Jenny Bliss, Jonnie Melancholy and the Sad Cowboys, Elly Hopkins, Steve Lake’s Acts of Resistance, The Towpath Singers, Mambo Jambo, Bowreed, LightGarden, Fiery Dragon Company, Truffle Valley Boys, Patterson Dipper, Robyn Hitchcock, Violeta Vicci, Katie Stevens and Aaron Olwell, The Tradinettes, Headmix, Carmina and Suntou Susso, alongside many other performers and traditional music sessions.

Are there folk music sessions during Bath Folk Festival?

Yes. There are numerous informal sessions throughout the festival, including Irish, English, French and Breton, bluegrass, sea shanty, singing and old time/American sessions.

Do visitors need tickets for Bath Folk Festival?

Ticketing varies between events. Some performances and workshops are individually ticketed, while other sessions and events may have different entry arrangements. Visitors should check the individual event before attending.

Is Bath Folk Festival suitable for people who are new to folk music?

Yes. The programme includes traditional sessions, concerts, storytelling and participatory events, giving both established folk fans and newcomers opportunities to experience different folk traditions.

Several events are specifically designed to encourage participation, including dance workshops and the Bowreed ceilidh.

Is Bath Folk Festival accessible?

Accessibility varies because the festival takes place across multiple venues. Visitors with specific access requirements should check with the individual venue before attending.

Are there opportunities to join in?

Yes. Bath Folk Festival includes several participatory events, including Irish sessions, a French and Breton session, sea shanty session, bluegrass session, singing session, English session, old time/American session, French dance workshop and Bowreed ceilidh.

Is Bath Folk Festival in Bath city centre?

Many of the festival venues are located in and around Bath city centre, making it possible to combine festival events with exploring the UNESCO World Heritage city.