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 McCarthy

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

read more
Red Stags Morris

Red Stags Morris

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

read more
Loose women

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 !

read more
Mendip Morris

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.

read more
Marlings Morris

Marlings Morris

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

read more
Garston Gallopers

Garston Gallopers

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

read more
Broadwood Morris Men

Broadwood Morris Men

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

read more
Treacle eater clog

Treacle eater clog

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

read more
Wickham Morris

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.

read more
Isambard’s Gasket Rats

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.

read more
Raddon Hill Clog Morris

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.

read more
Wicket Brood

Wicket Brood

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

read more
Festus Derriman

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.

read more
Blackrock

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.

read more
Basingclog Morris

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!

read more
New Forest Meddlars

New Forest Meddlars

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

read more
Madder Mill Molly

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.

read more
Ragged Phoenix

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.

read more
Cry Havoc

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.

read more
OBJ Morris

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.

read more
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

read more
Anonymous Morris

Anonymous Morris

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

read more
Magog ladies

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.

read more
Sarum Morris

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.

read more
Taeppas Tump

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.

read more
Aurora

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.

read more
Beetlecrushers

Beetlecrushers

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

read more
Dorset Buttons

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

read more
Bideford Phoenix Morris

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.

read more
Dr Turbevilles

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.

read more
Winkleigh Morris

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.

read more
Moonlight Morris

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.

read more
Somerset Morris

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.

read more
Pump House Clog Morris

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.

read more
Oyster Girls

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.

read more
Morena Slovak Dance Co

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.

read more
Wickham Morris

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.

read more
Hobos Morris

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.

read more
Fleet Morris

Fleet Morris

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

read more
Fishbourne Mill Morris

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.

read more
Enigma Border Morris

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.

read more
Bourne River Morris Men

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.

read more
Baharah Dance

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!

read more
Armaleggan

Armaleggan

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

read more
Alton Morris

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.

read more
The Carrivick Sisters

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

read more
The Luke Jackson trio

The Luke Jackson trio

Canterbury based singer songwriter Luke Jackson has been playing live for 10+ years, with an great reputation in the Folk, Roots, Americana & Acoustic circuits.

read more
The Salts

The Salts

The Salts are one of the most exciting and energetic folk concepts of recent times. A unique sound that mixes well written original compositions alongside classic traditional tunes.

read more
Wickham Morris

Local Vocals

Local Vocals are appearing twice on Sunday afternoon. Join in, singalong, see you there.

read more
Festival Church Service

Festival Church Service

The Festival Church Service will be held at the United Reformed Church, High Street Swanage, followed by dancing in St. Mary’s

read more
Krelys

Krelys

KRELYS bring together trad and contemporary Irish tunes and songs, using compelling arrangements allowing the music to shine.

read more
Kelp

Kelp

Listen to the brilliant Kelp Shantymen busking at the Swanage Folk Festival

read more
Buffalo Gals

Buffalo Gals

One of the UK’s leading American roots-inspired music acts, this Old-Time country string band expect percussive Appalachian stepdance, humour & championship fiddling.

read more
Wickham Morris

King’s Corner Band

Listen to the King’s Corner Band, busking. It’s amazing how many stop, stomp and listen, in the great atmosphere

read more
Youth Group Jam session

Youth Group Jam session

This session is a fabulous opportunity for 16-23 year olds to perform on stage. We’re even offering some training for you in the weeks before the Festival. Great to listen to, great to join in with.

read more
Spank the Planks

Spank the Planks

Spank the planks dance in gingham check blue or mauve dresses, each dress with a different patchwork on the bodice.

read more
Old Palace Clog

Old Palace Clog

Old Palace Clog are a Northwest Clog side from Croydon. They have a mix of traditional and self-penned dances and wear white, red and green kit.

read more
Steps In Time

Steps In Time

Steps in Time perform several styles of English dance, including Step, Playford, and Dorset dances

read more
Holly Copse Molly

Holly Copse Molly

Holly Copse Molly are a Morris side who perform Molly. They dance in colourful yellow, black and magenta kit. They’re from Bournemouth and Molly around being silly

read more

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! So, please bring lots of change to donate on the day.