Durham Folk Festival - Redhills Durham Miners Hall

About

Durham City will come alive with music, dance, stories and celebration this September as Durham Folk Festival launches its first edition from 18–20 September 2026.

Set against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful small cities in the UK, the festival brings together major international artists, outstanding traditional musicians, ceilidhs, workshops, talks, screenings, family events, musical river cruises and free outdoor activity — creating a weekend where the whole city becomes part of the festival.

The programme features more than 100 performances and events, with artists including Sharon Shannon, Shooglenifty, Honeyfeet, Leveret, Jez Lowe and Festival Patrons The Wilsons, alongside a rich line-up of folk, roots and traditional musicians from across the North East, the UK and beyond.

Durham Folk Festival will make use of the city's extraordinary venues, civic spaces and riverside setting, with activity planned across locations including Redhills – Durham Miners' Hall, the medieval Durham Town Hall, the Gala Theatre, the awe-inspiring Durham Cathedral, assorted city-centre spaces and the River Wear.

At the heart of the festival will be Redhills, the historic home of the Durham miners, which will act as a central hub for concerts, screenings, exhibitions and festival activity. Durham Town Hall will host workshops, talks and ceilidhs, while the Cathedral precinct and Fellows' Garden will provide a spectacular setting for the festival's free family programme.

One of the festival's most distinctive new additions is Folk on the Water, a series of intimate river cruise performances on the Wear, offering audiences the chance to experience both the location and the music from an entirely new perspective.

The festival will also include traditional dance displays, street performances, workshops, talks, film screenings, cabaret and free events for families and young people.