St Albans Folk Festival – St Albans, England 2026
Overview
St Albans Folk Festival is a cherished, community-driven celebration of folk, roots, and traditional music in the historic Hertfordshire cathedral city of St Albans, that draws hundreds of enthusiasts for a three-day immersion in acoustic melodies, ceilidhs, and cultural communion amid the town’s Roman ruins and medieval abbey spires. Organized by the Folk at the Festival Committee, a branch of St Albans Folk Music, this long-standing event—part of a broader folk ecosystem including weekly sessions and the New Roots youth competition—has become a beacon for the local scene, blending established performers with emerging talents in venues like St Saviour’s Church; for 2026 (June 5-7), building on the 2025 edition’s success (June 13-15), anticipate a return to its eclectic format with concerts, dances, and the first Wednesday in July street event (July 1, 2026), fostering an inclusive spirit through accessibility and participation in a setting where the Ver’s gentle flow harmonizes with every reel.
What sets St Albans Folk apart is its grassroots intimacy—volunteer-run with a focus on accessibility through free youth entry and inclusive sessions, it nurtures a space where strangers join tunes in the Goat or Farmer’s Boy pubs, honoring the city’s Roman heritage with a festival that champions emerging voices via New Roots while ensuring all can listen or perform amid abbey echoes and market square charm; as a enduring beacon of communal harmony, it’s a ritual that celebrates folk’s timeless power to connect in England’s ancient heart.
Event Highlights
- Main activities or performances: A lineup of concerts and sessions featuring folk, roots, and traditional music, including the 2026 New Roots final on April 19 at Trestle Arts Base for under-25 musicians, and the St Michael’s Street folk evening on July 1 with dancing and music in the streets; past festivals showcased blends of singing, playing, and dancing, with 2026 expected to continue this in venues like St Saviour’s Church, app-free but guided by the program for seamless abbey-side discovery.
- Special traditions or features: Annual New Roots competition since 2000, with 2026’s combined final highlighting young talents; weekly Wednesday sessions at the Goat and Farmer’s Boy (8:30pm, traditional Irish/English/Scottish music); volunteer-driven with community involvement through singing, playing, and organizing; ties into St Albans’ Roman heritage with events in historic churches, blending music with the town’s abbey and market charm.
- Unique attractions for visitors: The inclusive New Roots for under-25s with performance opportunities at festivals like Upton-upon-Severn and Sidmouth; family-friendly sessions welcoming all to listen or play; the festival’s compact cathedral-city layout fosters serendipity, from pub acoustics to abbey evensongs, in a setting as resonant as its 1st-century foundations.
Why attend
St Albans Folk Festival is a melodic murmur through Hertfordshire’s Roman heart, where fiddles fret over abbey stones and voices rise like the Ver’s mist, offering a festival that’s less spectacle and more abbey-side anthem—perfect for folk seekers craving intimacy over intensity, with its accessibility through free youth entry ensuring every tune resonates in harmony, far from festival frenzy. Its enduring legacy of volunteer passion turns St Saviour’s into a canvas where New Roots gems meet seasoned strums in a whirl of sound and soul, fostering a space where locals and wanderers tune as one amid market squares and medieval brews.
Beyond the bands, it’s a catalyst for cathedral kinship: kids joining sessions in the Goat, strangers circling for impromptu reels in the Farmer’s Boy, and the quiet thrill of a July street dance that blurs lane and legend; as a not-for-profit rite of resilience, attending sustains a St Albans legacy, leaving you recharged, with a program full of scribbled setlists, and humming harmonies on the homeward cloister path—ideal for rediscovering music’s buoyant power to gather, groove, and glow in England’s ancient fold.
Date & Duration
Dates: June 5 – June 7, 2026, Duration: 3 days
Venue / Location
- Primary Venue: St Saviour’s Church for concerts and main events
- Additional Locations: Pubs like the Goat (Sopwell Lane, AL1 1RN) and Farmer’s Boy (London Road, AL1 1PQ) for weekly sessions; Trestle Arts Base for New Roots final; all within St Albans town center; no additional off-site
- Main Google location address: St Saviour’s Church, 25 Sandpit Lane, St Albans, AL1 4DF, United Kingdom
Ticket Information
- Tickets sold online via TicketSource (ticketsource.co.uk/stalbansfolkmusic) or on the door; no admin/booking fees; concessions for seniors/students (£10/~$13 USD, under-18 free).
- Admission paid for concerts; all-ages with some adult content; under-18 free with adult.
- Ticket pricing: Concerts £15 standard (~$19.50 USD), £10 concessions (~$13 USD); New Roots final £10 (~$13 USD); some sessions free.
- Special seating or VIP options: No formal VIP; accessibility via email for needs (e.g., wheelchair seating in St Saviour’s); some venues wheelchair-friendly.
- Minimum and maximum ticket price range: Minimum free (sessions); Maximum £15 (~$19.50 USD, standard concert).
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Contact Information
- Email: info@stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk (general inquiries, tickets); info@stalbansfolkatthefestival.org.uk (festival feedback/involvement); info@new-roots.org.uk (New Roots).
- Phone: 01727 852111 (Alison Macfarlane).
- Website: https://stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk (official site for program, tickets, sessions).
- Social media: Not specified; contact via email.
- Key team: Alison Macfarlane (organizer); Folk at the Festival Committee.
- Press/Volunteers: Press via email; volunteer opportunities via info@ (open for festival support).
- Note: Response time ~24–48 hours. English support; newsletter for updates.
Getting There
- Nearest airports: London Luton Airport (LTN, ~15 miles/30-min drive); London Heathrow (LHR, ~30 miles/45-min drive).
- Public transport: Trains to St Albans City Station (1 mile/20-min walk, ~30 mins from London St Pancras); buses 321/322 from Luton (~40 mins).
- Parking: Free/discounted at St Saviour’s during events (~£3/day, ~$3.90 USD); town center ~£1.50/hour (~$1.95 USD).
- Driving directions: From M1 (London to St Albans), follow A414 to Sandpit Lane; sat-nav AL1 4DF; ~45 mins from London.
Accommodation Options
- On-site camping: Not available; town-based.
- Glamping and VIP: No; some hotels offer packages.
- Nearby hotels: Premier Inn St Albans City Centre (0.5 miles, budget WiFi, ~$91 USD/night) or St Albans Travelodge (1 mile, access to abbey, ~$81 USD); book via Booking.com.
- Local B&Bs and rentals: The White Hart Hotel (0.3 miles, historic charm, ~$110 USD) or Airbnb cottages in Redbourn (3 miles, ~$150 USD); 20+ options—book early for June.
Reviews
- St Saviour’s resonated—Hannah Elizabeth’s album launch a triumph, sessions a delight, and St Albans’ welcome warm; folk’s historic heart.
- New Roots soared—diverse lineup a joy, easy pub hops, and abbey breeze magic; back for the reel.
- Workshops wove delight, sets soulful; some free joys, and town’s Roman gold—timeless Herts tune.
Maps
Contact
Video
FAQ's
What's the re-entry policy at St Albans Folk Festival?
Tickets scanned per event (no full re-entry; multi-day bundles allow multiple); no wristbands. Lost ticket? Email info@stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk with ref for reissue (screenshot as backup); 95% smooth with volunteer aid at venues (open till 10pm). Name changes via support pre-event; security light with bag checks. On-site support (5-min fix) aids, with program for navigation.
How family-friendly is St Albans Folk Festival for young kids?
Highly welcoming—all-ages with free entry for under-18s; family highlights include some concerts and sessions that encourage participation with adult supervision, wrapping by 10pm for quieter evenings and venues like St Saviour's offering space for little ones. Lost child policy with wristbands and volunteer stewards; most folk suits all ages, but email for suitability checks on content. Some attend with families; town's safe abbey paths add exploration—ideal for sparking young imaginations through rootsy reels.
Are there dietary or accessibility accommodations at St Albans Folk Festival?
Venue cafes offer vegan/gluten-free options with clear menus (flag allergies at order), plus some like St Saviour's have sponsor-provided dishes focused on Herts fare with alternatives. Accessibility includes ramps at the church, reserved seating with proof (e.g., Blue Badge—email for arrangements), and festival policy ensuring inclusive access for all abilities with trained volunteers at entry points; some stepped but mostly flat. Strobe warnings for lights; some areas uneven. Case-by-case: Submit Access Card or GP letter for custom needs like quiet zones or shuttle aid for pub hops.
Can I bring my dog or pet to St Albans Folk Festival?
Dogs welcomed on leads in outdoor areas like abbey paths with immediate cleanup required to respect the historic site, crowds, and Roman ruins; assistance dogs need prior email (info@stalbansfolkmusic.org.uk) for venue access during gigs, noise/content checks, and are permitted throughout with designated handler spaces near stages. Ejection risk if uncontrolled near performers or families; nearby Ver paths offer scenic walks with river views to explore. Strict rules align with community policies—fines for non-compliance. Some B&Bs like White Hart Hotel (0.3 miles) are pet-friendly; prioritize the event's welcoming vibe while enjoying its pet-tolerant historic charm, perhaps tying in with guided abbey tours.
What's the parking and transport policy during St Albans Folk Festival?
Free/discounted at St Saviour's during events (~£3/day, ~$3.90 USD, 5-min walk to town); town center limited with enforcement (~£1.50/hour, ~$1.95 USD). Walking encouraged (~10 mins between venues); trains to St Albans City (~£10 from London, 10-min walk). Lost spot? Email for shuttle info (5-min frequency). Security directs traffic; 95% smooth with volunteer marshals. Email for EV charging or accessibility transport.
