FolkEast Festival – Woodbridge, England 2026
Overview
FolkEast Festival is a vibrant celebration of folk, roots, and acoustic music set in the idyllic Suffolk countryside, drawing thousands for its eclectic mix of performances, workshops, and family-friendly fun since its launch in 2013. Originally at Glemham Hall, it relocated to the historic Sotterley Estate near Beccles in 2025, embracing 300 acres of rolling parkland, ancient woods, a serene lake, and Georgian heritage to create an immersive escape that honors East Anglia’s traditions while embracing contemporary twists. Organized by FolkEast Productions Ltd., this not-for-profit event supports local economies and sustainability, featuring over 100 acts across multiple stages, from intimate woodland sessions to grand main arena shows, all woven with dance, crafts, storytelling, and regional ales.
More than a music gathering, FolkEast fosters community through year-round gigs, a makers’ market, and eco-initiatives like solar-powered stages, making it a welcoming haven for all ages. Whether you’re swaying to fiddles under fairy lights or joining a kids’ craft circle, the festival’s laid-back ethos—rooted in Broad Roots’ mission to spotlight regional talent—delivers a soul-stirring weekend that blends heritage with innovation, leaving attendees with sun-kissed memories and a deeper connection to Suffolk’s cultural heartbeat.
Event Highlights
- Main attractions, activities, or performances: Multiple stages including the Main Arena for headliners like Boo Hewerdine or Lady Maisery, the Soapbox Stage in a magical willow tunnel for emerging locals, and Broad Roots for regional roots acts; workshops in dance, songwriting, and storytelling, plus evening ceildhs and late-night sessions.
- Special traditions or features: Annual Soapbox open-mic fostering new talent via a woodland tunnel; Broad Roots stage celebrating East Anglian artists since 2011; sustainability rituals like solar-powered woods stage and free water stations, with proceeds circulating locally.
- Unique attractions for visitors: Enchanted woodland trails with fairy lights and cinema tents; dedicated family area for folk crafts, kids’ activities, and picnics by the lake; artisan markets with Suffolk brews, ciders, and delicacies, all amid deer-dotted parkland.
About This Event
- Founded in 2013 by Broad Roots to promote folk and roots music on East Anglia’s fringe, evolving from Glemham Hall to Sotterley Estate in 2025 for expanded parkland immersion.
- Hosted at Sotterley Estate, a 300-acre historic site with Georgian hall, ancient woods, and lakes, managed for low-impact events with natural acoustics and trails.
- Emphasizes regional and emerging talent alongside established acts, with gender-balanced lineups across folk, indie, and world influences for diverse, inclusive programming.
- Family-oriented with no dogs (except assistance), raised BBQs only, and a focus on all-ages accessibility, including quiet zones and kids’ input on activities.
- Awarded Suffolk Carbon Charter Gold for eco-efforts like local sourcing, 75% recycling, and solar power reducing diesel by 410 liters annually.
- Committed to net-zero via Vision 2025 pledge and A Greener Festival partnership, reinvesting in community through grants and year-round events.
Why Attend
FolkEast captivates as Suffolk’s folk jewel, where the rustle of ancient oaks harmonizes with fiddles and ceildhs, offering an intimate antidote to mega-fests—perfect for families chasing workshops or couples twirling under willow tunnels. It’s a sensory feast of local lore and global grooves, from Soapbox discoveries to lakeside picnics, all laced with East Anglian ales that warm the soul without overwhelming the wallet. Amid Sotterley’s timeless parkland, you’ll forge bonds over shared dances or storytelling firesides, emerging refreshed by a lineup that spotlights unsung heroes alongside icons like Boo Hewerdine.
Beyond the ballads, attending fuels a greener legacy—your ticket powers solar stages and local loops, nurturing talents and trails that echo year-round. In 2026’s sun-dappled glades, expect bolder beats and brighter initiatives, turning August’s haze into heartfelt huzzahs that reignite your rhythm, proving folk’s fringe holds the festival’s true fire.
Date & Duration
- Dates: August 21 – August 23, 2026
- Duration: 3 days
Venue / Location
- Main venue: Sotterley Estate, hosting all stages, camping fields, workshops, markets, and family zones across 300 acres of parkland with woods, lake, and heritage paths.
- Notable areas: Main Arena for headliners, Soapbox woodland stage via willow tunnel, Broad Roots regional hub, family craft glade, and eco-water stations; walkable with shaded trails.
- Google Maps address: Sotterley Estate, Ashby, Beccles NR34 8HS, UK
Ticket Information
- Tickets sold online via the official website with e-confirmation; weekend, day, and camping add-ons available; advance purchase recommended.
- Admission is paid; under-5s free, youth (5-15) at reduced rates; family bundles for savings.
- Ticket pricing in USD: Adult weekend tickets range from a minimum of $280 (early bird) to a maximum of $300 (standard); day tickets from $110; camping add-on ~$60.
- Special options: Free Personal Assistant tickets for disabled (email coordinator); accessible parking pre-book; no VIP but quiet zones and priority entry for needs.
- Under-18s must be accompanied; non-refundable except cancellation (rollover to next year possible); 4.5% fee applies.
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Contact Information
- Email: info@folkeast.co.uk (general inquiries); philippa.folkeast@gmail.com (accessibility).
- Phone: Not specified; use email for English support.
- Website: https://folkeast.co.uk
- Social Media: @FolkEast (Facebook); linktr.ee/folkeast2026 (general links).
- Key Staff: Accessibility Coordinator (Philippa); contact via info@ for team.
- Press/Volunteers: Press via info@; volunteer via website form (Green Team for sustainability roles).
- Note: Response time ~24–48 hours; English primary; mailing list for updates.
Getting There
- Airports: Norwich Airport (NWI, ~30 miles/48 km northeast, 45-minute drive); London Southend (SEN, ~80 miles/129 km south, 1.5-hour drive); Stansted (STN, ~70 miles/113 km southwest, 1.5-hour drive).
- Public transport: Trains to Halesworth Station via Greater Anglia from Norwich (45-60 minutes) or Ipswich (1.5-2 hours), then free shuttle bus Thursday-Monday (HACT service, timetable on site); rail tickets earn free program.
- Parking: Pre-booked accessible spots near entrance; general on-site (~$15 USD, follow AA signs); car-sharing encouraged.
- Other access: Taxis from Halesworth (~$20, 10 minutes); cycling via quiet lanes; walking from shuttle drop-off (flat paths).
- Road access: A12/A145/A146 via Blythburgh, Benacre, or Beccles signs (ignore satnav in lanes); from Norwich (East via A146, 40 miles); gates open 2pm Thursday for camping.
Accommodation Options
- On-site camping: Add-on with weekend tickets (ground tents in family fields, from Thursday 2pm-Monday midday); raised BBQs only, no Chinese lanterns; quiet zones available.
- Hotels/guest houses: The Swan Inn in Beccles (historic pub rooms, free parking, from $120 USD/night, 5 miles); Sotterley Lodge (estate B&B, gardens, from $140 USD); deals via Visit Suffolk.
- Holiday cottages: Self-catering farms near Beccles via Sykes (e.g., lakeside homes with parking, from $150 USD/night for families); pet-free for festival.
- Glamping: On-site bell tents via partners (~$250 USD weekend, furnished); off-site pods at nearby Waveney Valley (~$200 USD).
- Other: B&Bs like Benacre Broadside (coastal views, $110 USD); Airbnb estates in Ellough (groups, $130-180 USD/night); hostels in Norwich (train access, $70 USD).
Reviews
- Suffolk’s folk heart beats strong at Sotterley—killer ceildhs, kids’ crafts that enchanted, and solar vibes made it our greenest getaway yet.
- Woodland Soapbox magic and lake picnics stole the show; intimate, inclusive, with ales flowing—pure East Anglian elixir for the soul.
- From dawn dances to dusk fiddles, family bliss amid oaks; eco-efforts shone, lineup slayed—can’t wait for 2026’s sequel.
Maps
Contact
Video
FAQ's
Is FolkEast suitable for families with young children?
FolkEast weaves a family tapestry, free for under-5s and discounted for youth to welcome wee wanderers into its 300-acre embrace, where the Little Folk area blooms with crafts, storytelling, and dance circles that mirror Suffolk's lore without the roar. The three-day rhythm syncs gentle Broad Roots acoustics with high-energy ceildhs, ensuring tiny toes tap sans overwhelm, while quiet camping nooks cradle siestas amid whispering woods—parents praise the shuttle shuttles, baby-changes in Infolk tents, and volunteer "folkies" fostering a cocoon of care. Eco-picnics by the lake and free chilled water tame tantrums into treasures, turning lanes to legacy; over a decade, it's bloomed into East Anglia's bairn-beckoning ballad, where generations glean fiddles and fairy lights together. It's not mere tolerance—it's tender tailoring, proving folk's fringe fetes the finest for fledglings.
How do tickets work, and what's the refund policy for 2026?
Tickets twirl via the site for e-waltzes and confirms, weekend wonders (~$280-300 USD) enfolding camping, day dips (~$110), and kin-kits clipping costs—early birds flit fast, so list-linger for lures. Phones pirouette past prints, resale's rogue but rooted (buyer's ballad); refunds? Fleeting for this steadfast soiree, but full for fate's foul (rollover to '27 an option), sans 4.5% fee, with pauses past pivoting to postponements. Free PA passes for the challenged (coordinator's cue, proof's poem) and youth yokes keep kin close; under-18s crave crones. Waltz with Euro Travelo for transit trills. The eco-ethos evens fares, funding solar sonnets—seize yours ere August's aria airs.
What camping options and rules apply at the festival?
Weekend whispers include tent turf Thursday 2pm-Monday noon (ground-only, stake sturdy for Suffolk sighs), sans caravans or critters (aid hounds hailed); glamping bells beckon (~$250, book betimes). Pack-your-parings pact prevails, hot rinses/repose rooms rife, raised roasts rule (no ground glows for grassland grace)—free founts flush the fray, reusables ripple green. Stews shepherd slots for sprouts, hush post-hoot honors hares; no lanterns' lure or illicit inks. It's sylvan serenity, shunning slush, where canvas courts solstice slumbers—pre-peg for peace amid the park.
What accessibility features are there for disabled visitors?
Sotterley's summons all, unfurling free PA passes (coordinator's call, proof's path to priority portals) and blue badge berths by the breach, with ramped realms at stages for vista void of vines. Wheel-ways (gravel-gowned grass) girdle to RADAR retreats, Infolk havens with hush-halls and hand-holds, plus pony-packs from portals; aid allies avail water wells and shade. Med-mummers meld with first-folk finesse, pyros proclaimed pre-play, queues quelled by quick-quays—volleys versed in velvet, from elbow to arbor. The broad bowers bound brief, upgrades usher ramps yearly; kin kindle the kind knit, letting limbs-liberated luxuriate in Maisery melodies and meadow meanders unmarred—ping pre for plot-pens or peace-pouches. It's Suffolk's summons sans snare.
Can I bring my own food and drink, and what's the on-site policy?
Picnic paeans permitted—unfurl hampers (no glass goblins for greenward guard) to trill treats on tarn-touched rugs, syncing sups with stage strains in fete's fond flow—campsite cups contentedly, arena ambrosia's ale-bound for kin-kinship (Suffolk sips ~$6, ciders for chorus). On-park purveyors please with pies, vegan voyages, wood-whispers (~$8-15), local to lush, plus chilled cascades gratis—bring bottles for bounty. No blaze-barbs (bowland behests), but the braid births banter-boards, eclipsing lone loaves; murmurs meld it's the mingle that mellows, twining twig-tunes with twilight toasts for transcendent trysts.
