🗓️ Thursday 20th – Sunday 23rd August 2026
Get the date in your diary for the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival 2026!
The family-friendly festival, set on a farm just outside Swanage, returns for another year with a packed line-up of great bands, soloists and loads of fun things to do.
Tickets are available now – find full details and line-up announcements on the PVFF website: www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk/shop/tickets/
Kick back to the sounds of world and roots music, and dust off your dancing shoes for some toe-tapping traditional folk at the festival’s two annual ceilidhs.
The festival spans three (and a bit!) days with music across five stages – kicking off on the Thursday evening for a celebration of all things folk – and on top of great national and international musicians there’s also Purbeck Rising, which welcomes new, emerging and local talent.
As well as a great musical line-up, expect a load of other festival favourites, such as children’s activities and craft workshops including candle-craft, origami and even tutu-making.
There’s a chance to make your own music at the busk station and flex your vocal cords at the open mic sessions, as well as have-a-go instrument sessions and music workshops.
And if you have a beard it’s time to start growing it and/or coming up with creative grooming techniques for the annual festival Beard-Off, with categories such as ‘Biggest, Bestest & Fullest’ to Most Creative Facial Hair’. And of course, there’s girls’ and kids’ categories too.
And the ever-popular Purbeck Poetry Slam is back – to submit your entry, email cath@purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk.
Line-Up
Thursday 20th August
- Ukulele Death Squad
- Around About Dusk
- Nick Parker & The False Alarms
- Dryadic
- Bob & Connor Burke
Friday 21st August
- Baskery
- Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
- Marsha Tilson
- Flats & Sharps
- Toby Shaer, Archie Moss & Jack Warnock
- Frankie Archer
- Charlotte Carrivick Band
- Tarren
- Around About Dusk
- The Boot Heel Playboys
- Dryadic
Saturday 22nd August
- Eddie Reader
- Suntou Susso & The Gambian Superstars
- Marsha Tilson
- Michael Prewitt
- The Roving Crows
- The Boot Heel Playboys
- PerKelt
- Clementine Lovell Trio
Sunday 23rd August
- Jiggy
- Bonfire Radicals
- Flats & Sharps
- Eabhal
- RE:VULVLA
- Klezmer Foygl
- Evolution of Fisherman
- Clementine Lovell Trio
Plus (days tbc)
- Rachael McShane & The Cartographers
- Touki
- Martha Spencer & the Wonderland Country Band
- Taff Rapids
- Mishra
- Rocking Horse Money
- Threepenny Bit
- The Lost Trades
- Arlo Anwin
- Devon Youth Folk Ensemble
- Holly Clarke Band
- Danger Goat
- Grace Honeywell & Jeri Foreman
- Detta Kenzie
- Sousou & Maher Cissoko
- Patch & The Giant
- Clay Bottom Jug Busters
- The Dirty Big Canal Dance Band
- Sian & Rob Colquhoun
- Destan Dönemi
- Antoine & Owena
- TĂłchar
- Quinns Quinney
- The Midnight Alliance
- Meadowsuite
- National Youth Folk Ensemble
- Feral Beryl
- Jolene & the Leaves of Life
- Lonan
- Owl in the Sun
- Amica
- KD Rivers
- Wiff Waff
- Monroe’s Revenge
- Wareham Whalers
- Larkspur
- Mustard Allegro
- Pachango
- Pictureframers Duo
- Kelp!
For the latest line-up updates visit the Festival website: www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk/line-up/line-up2025/
Highlights
The Purbeck Valley Folk Festival features a fantastic mix of home-grown and international musicians each year, with music playing across its various stages all weekend long.
Here’s a small selection of highlights from years gone by…
Workshops & Craft-Making
Whether you’re staying for the whole festival or only have a day, the craft area is a must-visit.
Most activities are fun for kids and grown-ups alike and operate a cash or card donation system.
Try your hand at something new like raku-fired pottery, cyanotype craft or even blacksmithing, or get crafty with the children making your very own henna tattoos and tutus for your own, unique festival look, or put these pesky odd socks to good use by transforming them into a hobby horse.
Kids’ Activities
As well as all that crafting, there’s loads of other things going on for kids.
Sit back and listen to a story, get your face painted, have a go at the circus skills area and lots more…
Food & Drink
Start your day with some delicious homemade food on-site; stoke the engines for exploring with a great range of snack vans & refuel after working up an appetite at the ceilidh at one of the bars and various food outlets, which all stay open till late.
Find the best local cider to go with your stone-baked pizza, venison burger or vegan burger, or have a fruit-filled smoothie to accompany a sugary treat like donuts and crĂŞpes.
For campers, there’s also a variety of breakfast stalls and of course the all-important freshly-made morning coffee.
Every year the festival has a themed fancy dress competition, held on the Saturday afternoon at the Fire Stage.
The theme for 2026 is the letter O!
Here’s a flavour of what to expect at this music festival in the heart of the Purbeck countryside:
Tickets
Tickets are available on a first-come-first-served basis, with early bird options and locals’ discounts for residents of BH19 and BH20 addresses.
There may be some tickets available on the gate, but this is a popular little Dorset festival, so booking in advance is the best option.
Buy tickets online for weekend, day and camping tickets via the PVFF website: www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk/shop/tickets/
Festival Location
Nestled in the beautiful Jurassic Coast countryside underneath the dramatic backdrop of the Purbeck Ridgeway, both farm and festival are situated just outside Swanage on the Valley Road.
Purbeck Valley Farm will be on your left as you leave the village of Corfe Castle, just before you reach Harman’s Cross.
If you’re coming from Studland/the chain ferry the turning will be on your right just after Harman’s Cross village.
