Swanage Folk Festival

Swanage Folk Festival Header

The Swanage Folk Festival has come a long way since it first started as a day of dance in 1992. Over the years it has grown into a full and varied weekend of music and dance. From Friday 7th September to Sunday 9th September our small seaside town on the beautiful Jurassic coast of Dorset will fill up with hundreds of colourful dancers and the town will resonate to the sound of bells jingling, sticks thwacking and excellent music.

The hub of the festival is Sandpit Field, with a concert marquee and festival bar, the festival information tent and dozens of colourful craft stalls. Over the weekend concerts will take place at venues around the town featuring artists including Oysterband, The Young'uns, Flats and Sharps, Gilmore and Roberts, Ninebarrow, Narthen and the Rheingans Sisters. Full details of the weekend fun can be found on the festival website, www.swanagefolkfestival.com 

There will be opportunities to get involved with workshops, music sessionsin the local pubs and free entertainment on Sandpit Field for the young of all ages. For something more energetic there is the festival dance at the Swanage School on Saturday night and a special children's dance on Saturday afternoon. 

Over 50 traditional dance teams will gather to entertain you. Displays take place all over the town and a spectacular dance parade takes place on Saturday afternoon.

We look forward to seeing you over the festival weekend. 

The Festival presents a programme of music concerts over the weekend featuring a diverse range of music. 

Friday night concert (19.30) in the main marquee with Pete Christie, Ninebarrow and Oysterband

Saturday night concert (19.30) in the main marquee with Bram Taylor, Narthen and Flats and Sharps.

Sunday night concert (19.30) in the main marquee with Geoff Lakeman, The Rheingans Sisters and the Young'uns.

Saturday afternoon concert (13.00) in the Conservative Club with Geoff Lakeman and Gilmore and Roberts

Sunday afternoon concert (13.00) in the Conservative Club with Damian Clarke and Geoff Lakeman

Sunday afternoon presentation (15.30) in the parish church by Louise Jordan of 'no petticoats here'

Saturday night dance at the Swanage School (19.30) with Threepenny Bit and caller Gordon Potts

On the Saturday and Sunday afternoon the festival provides music in the main marquee featuring the Rod Jenkins Band, Trials of Cato, Tinderbox and Mother Ukers (Saturday) and Bram Taylor, Threepenny Bit, The Drystones and Model Folk (Sunday). These afternoon concerts are free entry but donations gratefully accepted. 

The festival provides the option of a full weekend ticket or tickets for each separate pay concert.

Adult Weekend tickets are £60

Evening Concert tickets are £20

Afternoon Concert tickets (Conservative Club and Parish Church) are £10

Saturday Dance tickets are £12

Children (6 to 16) are half adult price.

Tickets can be purchased from the festival box office or through our on-line ticket service. Details can be found on the festival website at www.swanagefolkfestival.com   

The beating heart of the festival is on Sandpit Field, Shore Road, Swanage. This is a public park overlooking Swanage Bay and hosts the main music marquee, information tent and craft fair.

Other community venues are used over the weekend for concerts and workshops whilst more informal music sessions are held in local public houses and cafes.

The festival does not have direct access to accommodation. Please contact the local Tourist information center for details of accommodation through www.visit-dorset.com 

 

The festival does not have direct access to camping facilities. For details of local camp sites please contact the Swanage Tourist office through www.visit-dorset.com

 

Ninebarrow Sandpit Field (daytime)
Oysterband Sandpit Field (daytime)
Pete Christie Sandpit Field (daytime)
Bram Taylor Sandpit Field (nighttime)
Flats & Sharps Sandpit Field (nighttime)
Narthen Sandpit Field (nighttime)
Gordon Potts Ceilidh
Threepenny Bit Ceilidh
Folk Orc Sandpit Field (daytime)
Gordon Potts Sandpit Field (daytime)
Mother Ukers Sandpit Field (daytime)
Rod Jenkins Sandpit Field (daytime)
The Trials of Cato Sandpit Field (daytime)
Tinderbox Sandpit Field (daytime)
Dorset Wrecks Shanty at the Bandstand
Kelp Shanty at the Bandstand
Wareham Whalers Shanty at the Bandstand
Geoff Lakeman Conservative Club
Gilmore & Roberts Conservative Club
Geoff Lakeman Sandpit Field (nighttime)
The Rheingans Sisters Sandpit Field (nighttime)
The Young 'Uns Sandpit Field (nighttime)
Louise Jordan St Mary's Church
Bram Taylor Sandpit Field (daytime)
the drystones Sandpit Field (daytime)
The Model Folk Sandpit Field (daytime)
Threepenny Bit Sandpit Field (daytime)
Damian Clarke Conservative Club
Geoff Lakeman Conservative Club
Artist Stage Day
Bram Taylor Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sat 8th
Bram Taylor Sandpit Field (daytime) Sun 9th
Damian Clarke Conservative Club Sun 9th
Dorset Wrecks Shanty at the Bandstand Sat 8th
Flats & Sharps Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sat 8th
Folk Orc Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
Geoff Lakeman Conservative Club Sat 8th
Geoff Lakeman Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sun 9th
Geoff Lakeman Conservative Club Sun 9th
Gilmore & Roberts Conservative Club Sat 8th
Gordon Potts Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
Gordon Potts Ceilidh Sat 8th
Kelp Shanty at the Bandstand Sat 8th
Louise Jordan St Mary's Church Sun 9th
Mother Ukers Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
Narthen Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sat 8th
Ninebarrow Sandpit Field (daytime) Fri 7th
Oysterband Sandpit Field (daytime) Fri 7th
Pete Christie Sandpit Field (daytime) Fri 7th
Rod Jenkins Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
the drystones Sandpit Field (daytime) Sun 9th
The Model Folk Sandpit Field (daytime) Sun 9th
The Rheingans Sisters Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sun 9th
The Trials of Cato Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
The Young 'Uns Sandpit Field (nighttime) Sun 9th
Threepenny Bit Ceilidh Sat 8th
Threepenny Bit Sandpit Field (daytime) Sun 9th
Tinderbox Sandpit Field (daytime) Sat 8th
Wareham Whalers Shanty at the Bandstand Sat 8th
Name Distance Prices From
Millbrook Guest House 0.3 ml £67.00 Book
Purbeck House Hotel & Louisa Lodge 0.5 ml £59.00 Book
Town Hall Lodge B&B 0.5 ml £2000.00 Book
Grand Hotel Swanage 0.9 ml £55.00 Book
The Pines Hotel 1.0 ml £77.00 Book
Haven Hotel 5.1 ml £120.00 Book
Sandbanks Hotel 6.1 ml £149.00 Book
Harbour Heights Hotel 6.4 ml £250.00 Book
Milsoms 6.8 ml £105.00 Book
Salterns Harbourside 6.8 ml £89.00 Book
Holiday Apartment 7.1 ml £99.00 Book
Crown Hotel 7.2 ml £35.00 Book
Springfield Country Hotel Leisure Club & Spa 7.5 ml £128.00 Book
Grovefield Manor 7.5 ml £55.00 Book
The Riviera Hotel & Holiday Apartments 7.7 ml £69.00 Book

Sandpit Field, Shore Road, Swanage, BH191NY