The much-loved Gloucester Folk Trail returns for 2026, promising three days of vibrant folk music, dance, hands-on workshops, performances and community spirit across the heart of the city from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February 2026. Organised by Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID), this city-wide festival celebrates the very best of folk traditions, old and new, in a programme that’s inclusive, lively and largely free to attend.
A Rich & Diverse Line-Up
The Folk Trail’s 2026 line-up showcases a mix of established acts and rising talent from Gloucester and beyond, with performances scheduled throughout the weekend at a variety of welcoming venues. Artists and groups include:
Apple Snatchers, Banter, Danny Hammond, ReBil, Evergreen, Sue Skinner, The Rusty Tubs, Bullo Pill, Karen Swan and My Creatures, Irish Session with Rich Whitehouse, Gloucester Folk Choir and many more.
Whether it’s lively folk sets, melodic songwriting showcases, or energetic ceilidhs, there’s something for every taste, from traditional tunes to contemporary folk expressions.
Events Across the City
Performances and activities will take place in a range of local venues, including:
The Folk of Gloucester – hosting the Festival’s signature sessions, workshops and showcase performances.
Gloucester Guildhall – kicking off the weekend with a ceilidh with Banter on Friday evening.
Museum of Gloucester – offering family crafts like Making Folk: Crafting Charms and Folk Motifs as well as talks exploring folk and craft history.
National Waterways Museum Gloucester, Roots Café, The Pelican Inn, Dr Foster, The Thirsty Pine, St Mary De Crypt, and Proud Gloucester – all hosting performances, sessions and gatherings throughout the weekend.
Highlights include songwriter workshops, community sing-arounds, Morris dancing in the Gate Streets on Saturday and themed sessions for tune players and open music exchanges on Sunday.
Workshops, Talks & Family Activities
Beyond live music, the Folk Trail offers creative engagement for all ages. Attendees can join hands-on drop-in craft sessions, attend talks on the cultural history of folk arts, and participate in tune-playing workshops.
An Inclusive Festival for All
Most Folk Trail events are free to attend, and all are designed to be accessible to seasoned folk fans and newcomers alike. Some ticketed events and workshops require advance booking.
Emily Gibbon, Manager of Gloucester BID, says:
“The Gloucester Folk Trail celebrates our city’s rich cultural heritage while bringing people together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy live music, try something creative and experience Gloucester at its most vibrant and welcoming.”
Further Information
For the full programme, venue details and booking information, visit:
https://www.gloucesterbid.uk/gloucester-folk-trail/
Ceilidh with Banter @ Gloucester Guildhall
13th February – 6:00pm
Described as “The future of Folk”, Banter take English traditional music to the next level with their iconic interpretations of classic songs and dance tunes.
Following in the creative footsteps of the likes of Steeleye Span and La Bottine Souriante, Nina Zella, Simon Care and Tim Walker have lovingly reinvented what defines English Folk.
This year the trio have added the multi-instrumentalist skills of Mark Jolley (TradArrr, Tickled Pink) to their line-up and have been receiving rave reviews from around the globe for both their live shows and particularly for their fourth album HEROES.
All Ages – Tickets from £10
Song Writing Workshop with Jim Rowley
The Difficult Second Verse
Written a verse, a chorus, a couple of catchy lines, but don’t know where to go next? Got loads of ideas but few finished songs?
Gloucester Folk Trail 2026’s Songwriting Workshop is all about writing strategies to finish the song ideas you have.
BOOK HERE
Workshop for Tune Players with Christine Reynolds
This year’s workshop for tune players will be on the building bricks of Folk tunes.
This year’s workshop for tune players will be on the building bricks of Folk tunes. We will work on tunes and look at ways to practise them to improve fluency and speed. It is suitable for beginners (able to play the scale of G) up to intermediate. We will look at standard notation but an ability to read music is not essential.
