Music / News
Folk festival announces 2025 line-up
A vibrant folk festival is set to return on the bank holiday weekend, promising three days of music, dance, culture and fun.
The Bristol Folk Festival which was revived in 2019 has been giving stage to budding local artists as well as several famed names of the South West region.
Calling it the “beating heart” of the region’s folk scene, the festival hopes to unite the best of folk and roots in Bristol.
Creative director of Bristol Folk Festival, Dr Anna Rutherford said: “This year we’ve gathered over 60 artists from across the world to share stages with the best of Bristol and the South West. The queens, kings and bright young things of the roots scene are joined by 200 community musicians, singers and dancers who bring the festival to life across the bank holiday.
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She continued: “There’s truly something for everyone. Royal harpists meet electronic beats, strobe, sessions, sea shanties, Senegalese kora, a 14-piece orchestra, and foot-stomping tunes. With music, dance and high spirits running late into the evenings, you’ll be glad to have the bank holiday Monday to recover!”
Scottish band Talisk will kick off the festival on May 2 with an energetic performance at St George’s featuring their much anticipated symphony of sounds created by a concertina, violin and guitar.
English folk singer and guitarist, who has been referred to as the “godfather of the blues”, Martin Simpson will put on a concert with rising star Katherine Priddy on the night of May 3.
The festival closes with a celebration of world music and strings, with royal harpist Catrin Finch mesmerising the audience with her performance.
The line-up also features Dublin-based violinist Aoife Ní Bhriain, multi-instrumentalist and kora player Suntou Susso, a 14-piece folk orchestra and many others.
Main photo: Jennie Caldwell
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