Countdown to Warwick Folk Festival

This is the Kit will be appearing at the festival.

With only two weeks to go, Warwick Folk Festival is gearing up for its most successful Festival yet. The 43rd Warwick Folk Festival will feature over 80 artists when it returns to Castle Park from Thursday 27 – Sunday 30 July. The Warwick Folk Festival Fringe takes place in the Town Centre with free concerts, sessions, and dance displays from the Friday evening until Sunday.

The festival kicks off on the Thursday with ‘This is the Kit’ who will be performing at the festival for the first time. The Ivor Novello nominated musical project of the hugely gifted Kate Stables, ‘This Is the Kit’ have developed a reputation for live performances as enthralling as their innovative song writing. Their 5th album ‘Off Off On’ was released in October 2020 to huge acclaim, further establishing Kate as a songwriter of exceptional quality and talent. They will be performing music from their latest creation ‘Careful of your Keepers’, their 6th album released in June. The Independent newspaper has claimed they are ‘One of the most original and musically gifted artists of today’.

Festival goers enjoying a concert last year. Photo courtesy of Alex Harvey.

The festival offers a great value day out with passes available from 10pm to 6pm each day and free onsite parking. Daytime site passes cost from as little as £5. Residents in Leamington and Warwick, along with many key workers, can attend the event at a discount. People living in the CV34 Warwick postcode have previously been allowed in at a cheaper rate but, in a move designed to help more local music fans struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, the CV31 and CV32 postcodes have now been added.

Other headline acts performing over the weekend include Ellie Gowers, Mànran, Chris Wood, Miranda Sykes, Michael McGoldrick & Family, O’Hooley & Tidow, Festival Patron Will Pound and Tim Edey, Suntou Susso, Benji Kirkpatrick & The Excess and Dominie Hooper.

Dick Dixon, Festival Director said, “With only 2 weeks to go, we are gearing up for a spectacular festival. If you haven’t booked tickets yet, then I strongly urge you to do. With many superb headline acts and something for everyone, the festival promises to be a fantastic fun-filled 4-day weekend of first-class entertainment for all tastes and ages.”

Last year the festival moved to its new location, next to Warwick Castle, which meant all the venues and camping were on one site. This year the organisers have improved the lay-out of the festival to reduce the noise between venues and ensure the crafters and traders are more central. Those with limited mobility will also benefit from new electric buggies to travel around the site and the organisers have increased the availability of hot drink stalls. The food court will offer top festival food from all over the world from breakfasts, snacks, fish and chips, and full evening meals. Two bars will serve an extensive range of ales, beers, ciders, wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options.

View of Warwick Folk Festival. Photo courtesy of Alex Harvey.

Visitors can also enjoy a full programme of concerts, sing-arounds, dance, intimate acoustic performances, or full-on gigs. They can soak up the atmosphere, sit in the beer tent, join in with the sessions, learn a new skill, taste street food, or relax with friends in the wine and cocktail bar. The craft fair will be even more varied featuring lots of exciting new traders. In the town centre there will be a vast array of colourful dance displays, pub music sessions and open-air concerts. Younger visitors can also enjoy plenty of entertainment.

A free and scheduled shuttle bus will also be laid on to take visitors from the site into the town for those wanting to explore the attractive, winding streets offering a wide range of shops and restaurants as well as plenty of places to enjoy a coffee or beer.

Evening and day tickets start from £35 for an adult, or £46 for an adult day ticket, and discounts are available for those living in the area. You can buy a weekend ticket from just £127 and under 14s go free! NEW for this year is a 25% discount off a young person’s ticket, aged 18 – 24. For more information and to book tickets please visit www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk