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
June-August quarterly issue no 209 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
June
The second Bardfield singaround will be held on Friday 19th June at the Quaker Meeting House Great Bardfield, starting at 7:30pm
Tuesday 9th June:
John Kirkpatrick is at the Hoy At Anchor Folk Club in Leigh-on-Sea
Vicki Swan and Johnny Dyer are at Dartford Folk Club
Dartford Folk Club is also hosting Steve Ashley on 16th June
Kenny Spiers on 23rd June
and Jenn Butterworth on 30th June
Romford Haverfolk have a featurette showcasing Jane and Tony Thompson on 9th June and Paul Steele on 24th June
Loughton Folk Club features:
June 11th: Sheaf A relatively new folk trio featuring Penny Kempson, Will Sartin and Lewis Jones.
June 18th: The Workhouse
June 25th: The Jake Leg Jug Band
Colchester Folk Club is officially closed for the summer but the Colchester Arts Centre will be hosting My Darling Clementine on 10th June and Mitch Benn singing songs of Tom Lehrer on 16th June
The East Anglian Story Telling Festival will be held at The Food Museum, Stowmarket on 19th-21st June. Contact Carl Merry for info: 07815 737364
Saturday 27th June – Bury Folk Festival at the Walled Garden, Nowton Park, Bury Road, Nowton, Bury St. Edmunds Suffolk, IP295LU.
Tickets are on sale now. https://www.buryfolkfestival.co.uk/
27th June is also the date for the Thaxted Ceilidh
3:30pm at Bolford Street Hall, Bolford Street, Thaxted CM6 2LD.
Tickets: £10.
On Sunday 21st June Sinead Orme will be supporting Suzy Cramer at the Victoria Inn, Colchester
Leigh-on-sea folk festival takes place from 25th-28th June
The Leigh Folk Festival Open Mic Competition will be taking place as usual this year on Saturday 27th June in St.Clements Church right next to the library gardens. Twelve performers from a variety of musical backgrounds will be performing, in an effort to be crowned Leigh Folk Festival Open Mic Competition Winner 2026!
The contest runs from 12.15pm – 4.00pm and is open to solo performers and duos aged 15 or over, who would like to come and perform. It is only open to those who are not already booked to play at the festival. You need to have two original songs (or traditional folk songs) and a possible third to perform if you are selected for the final. Three acts will be chosen for the final which is scheduled for 3.30 pm.
The winner will be given a spot on the lower stage in the library gardens on Sunday afternoon, June 28th.
If you would like to be considered for a place in this year’s competition then please contact the festival by sending an email to: openmic@leighfolkfestival.com
Please include your name, a link to some performance video, and a brief description of your act.
July
The Kimpton, Hertfordshire folk festival takes place on Saturday 4th July featuring Merry Hell, Edwina Hayes, Granny’s Attic , Culverake , Sherburn, Bartley and Sanders , and Michell, Pfeiffer and Kulesh. Plus, Honey and the Bear and a Patron’s Concert with Nancy Kerr, James Fagan, Bolt, and Geoghegan.
The Folk In A Field festival will take place from 2nd-5th July in Bradmoor Woods, Norfolk, PE32 1FQ
Sunday 5th July
Provisional date set for the EFA Annual General Meeting – at Widford Village Hall. Details to follow.
The guests at Wivenhoe Folk Club on Thursday 9th July (one week later than usual) are Armoured Man playing an unusual mix of Celtic folk-rock
Dartford Folk Club guests will be
John Ward Trio on July 7th
Kelly and Woolley on July 14th
The Kimberleys on July 21st
Gilmore and Roberts on July 28th
Loughton Folk Club features:
July 2nd: The Medlars
July 9th: Paul McClure
The guests at Romford Haverfolk on 15th July will be John and Di Cullen but whether the session will take place depends upon the outcome of World Cup matches.
21st July is the cut-off date for submissions for the next edition (No. 210) of efn (Essex Folk News), covering the period September 2026-November 2026. Please send information about your event or any other material that you would like included to events@essexfolk.uk
August
Romford Haverfolk are holding a featurette for Graham Bennett on 5th August and a showcase for Emma Scarr and Danny Jones on 19th August
On Thursday 27th August Rick Christian will be giving a concert in All Saints Church, High Street, Walton-on-the-Naze at 7:30pm (Doors open at 7:00pm)
FolkEast will take place on 21st-23rd August at the Sotterly Estate, Suffolk
September
October
Lady Maisery at Colchester Folk Club on Monday 12th 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
Essex Folk Association 
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