IF YOU LIKE: Saltburn Folk Festival

Image: Maddie Morris

The beloved Saltburn Folk Festival returns this year between Friday 8th – Sunday 10th August, and it’s set to be as excellent as we’ve always known it to be. The multi-venue coastal weekend will take place across a generous handful of community venues in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, including a festival hub at The Community Hall – this is your one shop stop for souvenirs, advice, hangout sessions and info on what you can see and do -and the festival’s campsite inside the grounds of Saltburn Learning Campus. Some of the other venues include Emmanuel Church Hall, Saltburn Community Theatre, Huntcliff School, Saltburn Beach, Gun’s Hall, Saltburn Scout Hut, Earthbeat Centre and Saltburn Bandstand -and the performances at the bandstand are free to all, even if you’re ticketless!

Something else to note is Saltburn Folk Festival’s commitment to affordability and accessibility; the majority of the festival’s venues are fully accessible, and ticket prices are tiered, meaning there are standard ticket options for both adults and accompanied children, no questions asked ‘pay a little less’ tickets, ‘pay a bit more’ tickets for those who would like to go that extra mile to support the festival, as well as discounts for 18-30 year olds.

IF YOU LIKE…

Much-Loved Musicians

Saltburn Folk Festival are notorious for their varied, diverse line-up of cherry-picked artists, and 2025 is no different. You’ll get the chance to catch Nancy Kerr, James Fagan and Tim Van Eyken; Martin Simpson with Liz Hanks and Louis Campbell; Emily Portman; Pons Aelius; watersmeet; The Pegwells, Suntou Susso and Ross Grant; The Wilson Family; Maddie Morris; Goblin Band; DIY Ceilidh and so many more. Some local, some not -it’s entirely your call where your heart may take you! This year, weekend ticket-holders will even get the chance to meet select artists such as Marie Little, watersmeet and The Rosie Hood Band via a programme of Q&As at the Earthbeat Centre.

Learning Something New

If you’ve a keen-to-learn mind, perhaps you’ll be excited to hear that Saltburn Folk Festival has an impressively stacked list of workshops happening this year -anything you can really think to pick up at a folk festival, Saltburn Folk have probably covered it. From a talk on trad music with Brian Gaudet and a rapping workshop with the Kingsmen, to an Appalachian dance class with Feet First or a political songwriting workshop with Maddie Morris, there’s something for everyone, young or old, newbie or seasoned folkie!

Free Pop-Ups

If all of the above sounds incredible – how could it not – but you’re not in the position to attend the entire festival, you’ll be thrilled to know that there are a delightful bunch of artists taking to Saltburn’s bandstand across the weekend. 21 performances will be taking place between the Saturday and the Sunday, so you’ll get the chance to see the likes of Storytellers Street Band, Ouseburn Folk Choir, watersmeet, Naomi Kelly, Middlesbrough Happy Ukuleles and more.