Manchester Folk Festival Celebrates 10 Years with Fionn Regan, Pokey LaFarge, Spiers & Boden, Olivia Chaney & More Announced
After a record-breaking spring event, which saw the number of sold-out shows double and attendance soar by 50%, Manchester Folk Festival is raising the bar once again. For the first time, the event will expand to four days, taking place from Wednesday 10th to Saturday 13th March 2027, as we raises a glass to ten years of the finest folk, roots and acoustic music.
Artwork by Caio Wheelhouse
Building on the “playful, daring and forward-looking spirit of this ever-extraordinary festival” (Northern Soul), the event will unfold across Band on the Wall, Hallé St Peter’s, Hallé at St Michael’s, The Smithfield Market Tavern, Cutting Room Square and Stoller Hall, with two new stages being unveiled at the latter venue.
Our first wave of artists include Spiers & Boden, Leveret, Pokey LaFarge, Catrin Finch & Aoife Ní Bhriain, Fionn Regan, Olivia Chaney, Steve Knightley with Daniel Salvatore, The Wellermen, Kris Drever & Cahalen Morrison, Tarren, Chris Brain, Rewild: Kantos Chamber Choir x Stevens & Pound and Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne & John Kirkpatrick.
A beacon of exploration, connection and live music taking place not in some bucolic open-air space, but in the gritty heart of the city (Songlines)
Following the storming success of this year’s Friday Night Ceilidh, we have announced that we will be upgrading the 2027 ceilidh venue to the much larger Hallé St Peter’s, adding yet another reason to celebrate when the “springtime staple for music lovers” (Tradfolk) returns.
First-release four-day Festival Legends 2027 wristbands, which provide access to all festival shows, are now on sale after the early-bird ticket allocation sold out. Fans are encouraged to secure their wristbands early for the best value, before prices increase again in September.
Festival Legends can curate their own festival experience, moving effortlessly between intimate venues and main stages while enjoying performances from more than 20 artists each evening. Alongside exclusive concerts and an opening reception, next year’s wristband holders will also gain full access to thefestival’s newly added opening day on Wednesday 10 March at Stoller Hall, featuring concerts across three stages, kicking off the festival’s tenth year in spectacular fashion.
Further artists and details of international partner showcases, free traditional sing-arounds and sessions, workshops, Morris dancing and emerging stages spotlighting must-see talent will be announced this September, alongside individual concert tickets and venue information.
Arguably the UK’s leading urban folk festival, which given its relatively short history is a real endorsement of the event (BBC Radio)
MEET THE ARTISTS
From international artist exchanges and bustling barroom sessions to exclusive double-headers such as Joshua Burnside & Rachel Sermanni’s standout 2026 set, collaboration has long been a defining feature of Manchester Folk Festival. As it celebrates its tenth anniversary, the festival doubles down on that tradition.
Acclaimed masters of their craft, Catrin Finch and Aoife Ní Bhriain will draw on their rich cultural and musical heritages to create an ever-evolving soundscape that references classical, folk and global influences while remaining entirely their own.
Described by The Guardian as “the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene”, Spiers & Boden have been at the forefront of English folk music for 25 years, both as a groundbreaking duo and as founder members of folk phenomenon Bellowhead. Dubbed “the dons” by The Observer, their impassioned, exquisitely played music is sure to be a festival highlight.
Similar displays of “almost telepathic interplay” can be expected when fellow Bellowhead founder Sam Sweeney joins melodeon master Andy Cutting and English concertina ace Rob Harbron in Leveret, whose performances eschew conventional arrangements in favour of captivating spontaneity and consummate musicianship.
And if that wasn't enough squeezebox wizardry, esteemed intergenerational duo John Kirkpatrick and Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne will deftly explore the possibilities of concertina music, including what promises to be the world's first duet for bass Anglo concertinas.
In another first-time collaboration, Kantos Chamber Choir and folk-classical duo Stevens & Pound (Delia Stevens and Will Pound) will conjure a rich, genre-blurring soundworld. Featuring songs performed on wild forest instruments, Rewild invites audiences to rediscover their place within nature and reawaken the wild within.
Drawing deeply on the musical traditions of Scotland and America respectively, Kris Drever and Cahalen Morrisonjoin forces to explore the fertile ground between folk tradition and contemporary songwriting on a one-off tour that includes Manchester Folk Festival.
Described by The Sunday Times as “a home-grown poet whose lyrics, dense and allusive, blend pastoral tradition with singer-songwriter sophistication”, Olivia Chaney occupies a singular space in contemporary folk. Backed by her superband, she arrives at the festival following the release of her latest single, Dark Eyed Sailor, which features prominently in the new Wuthering Heights film.
Noted for “lyrics always possessing the most beautiful poetry”, Mercury Prize-nominated songwriter Fionn Regan has likewise carved out a bewitchingly idiosyncratic niche, pairing pristinely finger-picked guitar with flowing, stream-of-consciousness storytelling to mesmerising effect.
For two decades, Pokey LaFarge has walked his own effortlessly cool road as an iconoclastic troubadour: forthright, genuine and keen to put it all out there. His Band on the Wall headline slot, presented in collaboration with Hey! Manchester will see him pushing forward once again with joyous tracks from Rent Money, his finest collection of heartfelt, no-nonsense songs to date.
Steeped in the British folk tradition, Yorkshire singer-songwriter Chris Brain's quietly powerful songs will provide a balm for Friday night festivalgoers, following Tarren's intricately woven melodies and subtle grooves.
Offering something entirely different, bass supergroup and viral sensations The Wellermen continue to ride the wave of the sea shanty revival they helped ignite in 2021, blending American East Coast folk roots with exemplary musicianship in jaw-dropping style.
Celebrated for his deep connection to the West Country and his extensive body of work with Show of Hands, Steve Knightley has been praised by Mark Radcliffe for writing “some of the best songs in the last twenty years.” Next spring, festivalgoers will witness a songsmith and performer at the peak of his powers joined by handpan maestro Daniel Salvatore.
The lowest-price Festival Legends wristbands are available until mid-September, after which prices will increase. Each four-day wristband grants access to all Manchester Folk Festival shows taking place from Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 March 2027 (T&Cs apply).
No mud but rain likely, Manchester Folk Festival has built an enviable reputation for having an intriguing assortment of established and up-and-coming acts (Irish Music Magazine)
David Agnew, CEO, Artistic Director & Manchester Folk Festival founder:
“We couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Manchester Folk Festival in 2027. What makes this festival so special is the combination of exceptional artists, much-loved venues and an adventurous, welcoming audience, all coming together to share extraordinary music.
The support we've received over the past decade has allowed us to welcome more people than ever before, whether they're exploring folk music for the first time or returning with a lifelong passion for traditional arts and culture.
As we look ahead to March 2027, the programme is already shaping up to be one of our most ambitious yet. While there are exciting plans in the works, our focus remains the same: presenting outstanding artists, championing new voices and creating the sense of connection that have been at the heart of Manchester Folk Festival since day one.”
