Tenterden Folk Festival 2024

Tenterden Folk Festival is the only dedicated arts and music festival in Tenterden and one of the biggest and longest running in the whole Borough of Ashford. The festival celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2023. The 2024 festival takes place over the four days from Thursday 3^rd to Sunday 6^th October. At the time of writing, plans are at an early stage but the festival will start on Thursday evening with a special event. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there will be over 50 events including an English barn dance, at least six concerts, craft fair, artisans, music and other stalls, exhibitions, special shows, dance displays, folk clubs, Morris dancers, Slovakian Dancers, Bulgarian dancers, sing-a-rounds and music sessions, a procession, street theatre, workshops, showcases and other folk events. Some events will be ticketed but others, including all those in the streets and on The Recreation Ground, are free. The festival features well known traditional folk musicians from across the UK and often includes one or two guests from overseas. The festival attracts hundreds of participants, visitors and tourists from the local area and from across the whole country and even some from Europe and further afield.

Guests booked so far include The Catsfield Steamers from Sussex who will be playing for the Friday evening Barn Dance. Also Sussex based are Ceol Na Mara who are a duo specializing in Irish, Scottish and other Celtic music, as well as Milton Hide a popular folk duo. Coming from further afield are JIB, a trio made up of well know folk music figures Jim Mageean and Barrie and Ingrid Temple. As a result of popular demand we have also re-booked the four piece a cappella harmony group Sound Tradition who took the festival by storm last year. One of the group’s members was actually brought up in Tenterden. One of the young up and coming guests we have booked is local multi instrumentalist and Morris dancer Erin Mansfield. There will also be a chance to catch up with all the regular local guests from Kent, Sussex and London who are a popular feature of the festival. We will be booking more guests over the coming weeks as funding is confirmed. Bookings for craft and artisan stalls pitches on The Recreation Ground in the centre of the town are already coming in with a good number already confirmed. Early Bird tickets are already on sale online and by post. More details of Tenterden Folk Festival 2024 will be announced in the spring.

We are current looking for more support in the shape of commercial sponsors, advertisers for the festival programme, donations of raffle prizes, and of course the all important volunteer stewards and workforce. For details of how you can be involved you can email us at info@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk

More details of guests, tickets, volunteering and supporting the festival can be found on our website.

www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk