Free

Throughout the weekend many performances are free to watch and listen to. You are welcome to turn up to watch any of the free events. We recommend arriving early, to make sure you get a good view.

Click on any of the entries below to get more information. At the bottom of this page is a map of the festival locations.

These sessions are free to enjoy, although we welcome donations to cover our costs. The Festival is a non profit organisation run by volunteers, if we don’t cover our costs, they’ll be no more festivals! Please bring lots of change to donate on the day.

Peter McCarthy

Peter, from Swanage Library, will entertain with his Mandolin and whistle on Sandpit Field in the Children’s tent.

Red Stags Morris

Red Stags Morris are a border side from Southampton who wear red and black rag jackets with occasional flecks of yellow.

Loose women

Loose Women are a border Morris side from Kent, recognisable in purple skirts and rainbow tatters . You may even get a glimpse of their bloomers !

Mendip Morris

Mendip are a Cotswold style side who wear black breeches, white shirts, red socks with red, gold and blue baldricks with two distinctive badges.

Wickham Morris

Wickham Morris is a Morris side based at Wickham in Hampshire.

Marlings Morris

Marlings Morris are a mixed North West Morris side from Edenbridge in Kent. Their kit colours are blue, purple, white and black.

Garston Gallopers

Garston Gallopers are a mixed Cotswold style Morris side, with distinctive purple and green colours, based in East Garston, West Berkshire.

Broadwood Morris Men

Broadwood Morris dance Cotswold plus home grown. They are to be spotted wearing grey top hat and brown green britches.

Treacle eater clog

Treacle Eater Clog are a 40 year established Northwest side from the Yeovil area who wear black, red and gold.

Knickerbocker Glory dancers

Knickerbocker Glory are Appalachian dancers. Their dances have set routines and have been choreographed to be relaxed and spontaneous.

Hook Eagle Morris

Hook Eagle Morris dance in blue and gold tatters with black clerical shirts and trousers, in honour of St John the Evangelist who’s symbol is the Eagle.

Isambard’s Gasket Rats

Isambard’s Gasket Rats, a Morris side from South Devon. All dances & music are original pieces, inspired by personal experience & the world around us.

Raddon Hill Clog Morris

Raddon Hill Clog Morris’ dances reflect figures and patterns of the weaving process taken from the Mill towns in Lancashire and Cheshire. They still dance with wooden vintage bobbins.

Wicket Brood

Wicket Brood are a Border side from Hertfordshire who wear purple, green and black tatters and face paint.

Festus Derriman

Festus Derriman are a mixed Cotswold Morris Side They dance in whites with green and yellow tatter jackets(socks and hankies), top/straw hats.

Blackrock

Blackrock School of Irish Dance are traditional Irish dancers. They wear Traditional Irish dancing dresses, hand made by parents over 40 years ago. Made from velvet with hand stitched designs.

Basingclog Morris

Basingclog Morris are a side from Hampshire who dance North West. Their colour scheme is black/red/white and are famous for their floral hats!

New Forest Meddlars

New Forest Meddlars are performing in white trousers & shirt, purple waistcoat and purple/multi coloured tattered jackets.

Full Moon Morris

Full Moon Morris perform in Yellow and blue waistcoats, navy trousers & white shirts.

Madder Mill Molly

Madder Mill Molly are based in Carshalton in Surrey. A mixed gender side dancing the Molly style wearing a black and red kit with bowler hats.

Fleur de Lys Ladies’ Morris

Fleur De Lys dance in violet dresses, cream blouse and petticoat, purple baldricks with yellow ribbon, white trousers and shirt.

Ragged Phoenix

Ragged Phoenix are a mixed border dance side from Eastbourne. They wear tatters the colour of the phoenix; yellow, orange, red and gold over black.

Phoenix Morris

Phoenix Morris in black breeches (or skirts)

Cry Havoc

Cry Havoc dance in White and Black, with a white buzzard on the back of a black waistcoat + purple ribbons on baldrics and bells.

OBJ Morris

OBJ are a mixed border Morris side who dance in their Green/Black/White rag jackets. Their music is always live, as they have many talented people playing melodians,, piano accordians, fiddles, drums, brass, and strings.

$Ilfracombe Red Petticoats$

Ilfracombe Red Petticoats

The Ilfracombe Red Petticoats dance are a clog dancing group dancing in the North West style in their Black skirt, white blouse and red waistcoat

Anonymous Morris

Anonymous Morris are a high-energy Border Morris team who dance in purple and black tatters, with black top hats.

Magog ladies

Dancers wear white dresses with pinny and shawl in individual bright colours. Musicians wear black trousers, black waistcoats with the Magog on back.

Sarum Morris

Sarum Morris are a mixed Cotswold side from Salisbury, dancing in the city colours of blue and gold along with white trousers and shirts.

Taeppas Tump

Taeppa’s Tump is a women’s Morris side which dances in clogs, burgundy skirts, green aprons and straw hats with an equally stylish band.

Aurora

Aurora are an Exeter based Appalachian team. High energy dance with percussive and flat footing styles. Dresses: royal blue/turquoise with teal and fuschia sashes.

Southern Star Longsword

Southern star are performing at the 2023 Swanage Folk Festival in their black shirt and trousers.

Beetlecrushers

Beetlecrushers will be performing in their traditional 1900 dress at the Swanage Folk Festival.

Dorset Buttons

Dorset Buttons is a women’s NW side wearing red & green dresses, white shirts and red clogs, with straw hats decorated with traditional Dorset buttons

Bideford Phoenix Morris

Bideford Phoenix Morris perform their black knee length trousers, black shoes, white socks, white shirts, red Baldricks, blue neckerchief and red wavers. They mainly dance Cotswold dances but also do some Border and have a Molly Dance in their repertoire.

Sovicka -Slovak Children’s folk dance group

Sovicka-Slovak are a children’s Folk Dance Group performing Slovakian traditional dance, to preserve Slovák traditions like Music, dance and costumes.

Dr Turbevilles

Dr Turberville’s Morris are a traditional Cotswold side from Somerset, who like to dress up as pirates when they dance in Swanage.

Winkleigh Morris

Winkleigh Morris mainly perform a Cotswold style. They wear white shirts/blouses, red or black waistcoats, black skirts or trousers with creative decoration in those colours.

Moonlight Morris

Moonlight Morris are a small group of friends who dance with passion and fun. They have tatters in blues and silver along with silver faces.

Somerset Morris

Somerset Morris are a women’s side from the Bath/Bristol area, who perform stave dances and Cotswold Morris. Their colours are burgundy and cream.

Pump House Clog Morris

Pump House are a North West side from Watford in Hertfordshire, who wear mainly purple with decorated straw boaters or black hats for the gents.

Oyster Girls

Oyster Girls are a north west clog side from the Isle of Wight. Their kit is green dresses with gold and red frill and green clogs with bells. Oyster Girls musicians wear black trousers, white shirt and red waistcoats.

No Mean Feet & the Shoestring band

No Mean Feet is an Appalachian dance team, wearing purple and green dresses, the men wear purple/green shirt. Music consists of fiddle/violin/guitar/according.

Morena Slovak Dance Co

The Morena Dance company, do exciting Slovak traditional dances performed by Slovak dancers in authentic colourful costumes from many regions of Slovakia.

Hurst Morris People

Hurst Morris are a mixed Cotswold marris side from Hurst near Reading, who dance in white shirts and trousers with pale and dark blue baldricks.

Hobos Morris

Performing at the Swanage Folk Festival this year is Hobos Morris in their black, red & mustard tatters. Scroll down to understand some of their history.

Fleet Morris

Performing at the 2022 Swanage Folk Festival is Fleet Morris in their Royal blue skirts with yellow lining and baldricks.

Fishbourne Mill Morris

Fishbourne Mill Morris is a Mixed side. Ladies in blue skirts over white blouses, Tabards in red and black, floral straw hats. Men mainly in black with white shirts and top hats.

Enigma Border Morris

Enigma Morris are an all inclusive Border side from Somerset formed in 2014 .They wear Black & turquoise tatter jacket with same colour accessories & mask.

Bourne River Morris Men

Bourne River Morris Men are a traditional Cotswold side who wear white kit with black bowler hats, blue & gold baldricks and red, blue & gold ribbons.

Baharah Dance

Baharah Dance love Egyptian, Arabic music and traditional dance moves. They’re easily spotted in our colourful outfits and hear their hip belts as they jingle by!

Armaleggan

Armaleggan are a Border Morris side from Cumnor, near Oxford. We wear multi-coloured tatters and feathered hats of individual design.

Alton Morris

Alton Morris are a lively and energetic Border mixed Morris side from Alton in Hampshire, easily recognized by their red and green faces with red and green tatter jackets and bowler hats.

Pub music with Doghouse

Join in with a great pub music session with Doghouse

The Carrivick Sisters

The Carrivick Sisters are one of British folk’s best loved duos. They have a passion for old stories, American folk music and a good cup of tea. They were finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2010 & named Band/Duo of the Year in the 2011 FATEA Awards