Major events, annual and one-off events are listed in the calendar below. Details of regular meeting times for clubs and groups are shown in the relevant section of this website or can be obtained from the contacts for each of the clubs.
If you know about an event that you think should be included here – let us know about it so that we can include it.
efn Magazine
September-November quarterly issue no 210 has been published
EFN (Essex Folk News) is our quarterly magazine. Every issue includes articles and reviews, as well as a diary of folk events in Essex and a list of clubs and group
It is free to all EFA members, or can also be bought at certain folk clubs, price £2.
Contact editor@essexfolk.uk
2026
October
October 21st is the cut-off date for submissions for the next edition (No. 211) of efn (Essex Folk News), covering the period December 2026- February 2027. Please send information about your event or any other material to events@essexfolk.uk
Colchester Fringe Festival starts runs from Sunday 25th October through Sunday 1st November. There are many folk events included. At the Colchester Arts Centre there will be a performance of Celtic Tales on 25th, a Ceilidh night on 27th.
Urban Folk Quartet at performing at Hitchin Folk Club on Sunday 25th October
Counters Creek will be performing at Colchester Folk Club (Arts Centre) on Monday 26th October.
Gigspanner Band are performing at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds on 26th October.
Greg Brice will be the guest at Loughton Folk Club on Thursday 29th
East Anglian Music Trust are running a Folk Holiday Club at the October half-term break on Friday 30th October in Debden Village Hall. Booking link:
https://buytickets.at/eastangliantraditionalmusictrust
For information about bursary places, contact info@eatmt.org.uk.
November
On 3rd November the Hoy At Anchor Folk Club (Leigh-on-sea) will host Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow
On Thursday 5th November Wivenhoe Folk Club will have an open night
On 19th November they will host Hunter Muskett
On Monday 2nd November there will be a French night at Colchester Folk Club (Arts Centre) with Bof, Paul Riley & Gwendal Moele and Corbeau.
On Monday 9th Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlow and The Umbrella Factory.
On Monday 16th Archie Moss, Toby Shaer & Jack Warnock + Sarah Graves.
On Thursday 19th The Rabbitts & Evy Frearson.
On Monday 23rd Katie Spencer.
On Monday 30th Mambo Jambo & Suzy Cramer.
Hitchin Folk Club are hosting The Gigspanner Band on November 29th
December
Dartford Folk Club have a double headliner bill on 1st December, with No Worries and Four Gone Conclusion
They are also hosting:
Phil Beer with Sarah Yeo on 8th December,
Miranda Sykes and Jim Causley on 15th December,
Women Of Folk on 22nd December
Hitchin Folk Club features
St Agnes Fountain on December 6th
and Albion Christmas on December 20th
Colchester Folk Club (in The Arts Centre) will have:
Winter Wonderband on 7th December
and Narthern: Icicles and Inglenooks on 14th December
They then close for the winter break
On Wednesday 2nd December Romford Haverfolk will hold showcase featuring Smolowik and John Guy
On 9th they have an open night
16th is reserved for their Chrismas Party, then they are closed for the winter break
2027
January
Colchester Folk Club (in the Arts Centre) reopens on Monday 18th January with Anna Pool Sings Dory Previn
On 25th they host Liz Simcock
Hitchin Folk Club have
a double header on January 10th with Gilmore & Roberts and Elizabeth & Jameson
On January 24th they have Show Of Hands
Loughton Folk Club hosts:
14th January Singers night
21st January Al Neville
28th January Carol Burtt & Rick Hayter
Dartford Folk Club features:
Dave Ellis & Boo Howard on Tuesday 5th January
Dove’s Vagaries on 12th
Jim Reynolds on 19th
and Alden & Patterson on 26th
On Saturday 23rd January there is a Molly day of dance in Ely in honour of Mark Jones, 10:00-16:00
January 21st is the cut-off date for submissions for the next edition (No. 212) of efn (Essex Folk News), covering the period March – May 2027. Please send information about your event or any other material to events@essexfolk.uk
February
Dartford Folk Club features:
Alistair Anderson on Tuesday 2nd February
Steve Turner on 9th
Jez Lowe on 16th
and Ainsley Hamill on 23th
Hitchin Folk Club features
Edwina Hayes and Emily Slade (a double header) on February 7th
and Gary Stewart and Sarah Yeo (another double header) on February 21st
Colchester Folk Club (in the Arts Centre) host:
Christina Alden & Alex Patterson on 1st February
Jon Boden on Monday 8th February
Mossy Christian & Megan Wisdom on 15th February
and Benji Kirkpatrick on 22nd
Loughton Folk Club events for February are:
4th – The Folk Collective
11th – Martin McNeill
18th – The Jake Leg Jug Band
25th – Bass & Taylor
March
Chris Wood will be performing at Colchester Folk Club in the Arts Centre on Monday 1st March
The Emily Portman Trio will be there on 8th
May
July
Cambridge Folk Festival will start on 30th July and run until 1st August. https://www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk/
Riverside Picnic Concert at the National Trust’s Flatford Mill. Saturday 24th July @ 6:30pm. Music by Shades of Simon band. EarlyBird tickets just gone on sale £20. www.shadesofsimon.com
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