Festival details
Swanage Folk Festival is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit community festival bringing music, dance and smiles to Swanage each September, drawing thousands of visitors from across the UK to enjoy Dorset’s stunning coastline.
What is Swanage Folk Festival actually like?
Click to discover how music, dancing, ceilidh, workshops and sessions create a unique festival atmosphere by the sea.
Not for profit
The organisers are volunteers, if there’s any surplus it’s donated to local charities.
Story of the Swanage Folk Festival
Click to discover the story of Swanage Folk Festival, which started in 1992 and has grown from a “day of dance” into a much-loved event on the UK folk calendar.
Other snippets of festival background.
Who arranges the Festival?
The committee are unpaid volunteers who love Swanage and folk dance and music.
Here’s 2025’s committee on main stage (except Em, who’s out sorting the fringe venues and Jacquie who’s out sorting Dancing). From left to right: Virginia Payne, Matt Piper, Steve Williams, Linda Corlett, Angie Phillips, Christine Moore, Sandi Williams, Jon Baker.
Swanage Folk Festival dates
Swanage Folk Festival 2026 11th to 13th September.
Swanage Folk Festival 2027 10th to 12th September.
Swanage Folk Festival 2028 8th to 10th September.
Swanage Folk Festival 2029 7th to 9th September.
It’s always the second weekend after the summer Bank Holiday.
Giving back to our community
The Festival is a self-funded community event, run solely by volunteers. Any surplus we make is donated to local charities and community organisations. Over the years, Swanage Folk Festival has supported groups working with young people, families, health, wellbeing and the arts — helping to strengthen the community that makes the festival possible.
Recent beneficiaries include:
AllSort’d
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £500 to AllSort’d at the festival’s 2026 celebration event.
Forest Holme Hospice
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £1,000 to Forest Holme Hospice at the festival’s 2026 celebration event.
Julia’s House
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £1,000 to Julia’s House at the festival’s 2026 celebration event.
The Mowlem Roof Appeal
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £1,000 to the The Mowlem’s roof appeal at the festival’s 2026 celebration event.
The Purbeck Furniture Bank
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £500 to the The Purbeck Furniture Bank at the festival’s 2026 celebration event.
Purbeck Youth TradFolk Collective
The Swanage Folk festival were very pleased to hand over a cheque for £2,500 to the the Purbeck Youth TradFolk Collective at their 2026 celebration event.