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FolkEast Festival – Sotterley Estate, near Beccles

August 15 - August 17

England’s most easterly folk festival – Suffolk’s FolkEast – has officially revealed the site of its new home.

The perennially popular festival, founded and organised by husband-and-wife team Becky and John Marshall-Potter, began in 2012 at Somerleyton Hall, close to Lowestoft but had taken place at Glemham Hall, near Woodbridge for the past 11 years. But pastures new had to be found when the Glemham estate was put up for sale last year.

Now the organisers are delighted to announce that the 13th FolkEast will take place at the stunning Sotterley Hall estate in the north-east of the county, near the market town of Beccles. The 3500-acre private estate is owned by the Barne family and features extensive parkland around a Georgian house –with ancient woodland, a beautiful lake with Palladian folly and a 12th century church.

Recognised as one of the UK’s favourite folk festivals – by both audience and artists – FolkEast will make its Sotterley debut with three heady days of musical excellence. There will be a melting pot of eclectic talent – from vintage performers to the best new acts on the block. As at Glemham Hall it will be played out across five stages while the event’s three pubs will be alive with singarounds and sessions.

Among the first names to be announced are Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening who will perform on the Saturday night. Kathryn is a stellar exponent of the Northumbrian pipes and has twice been named Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. She has some 19 albums to her name, an OBE and has won the Queen’s Medal for Music for her outstanding contribution to the British music scene. Also a presenter of BBC Radio 3’s Music Planet, Kathryn has gathered together stand-out musicians from Northumberland, Scotland and England to form her band The Darkening – a band that has finely honed Northumbrian traditional tunes and sounds into a thrilling aural twist.

Also announced for the 2025 line-up are: Penguin Café, Sheelangig, shanty kings The Longest Johns, The Rheingans Sisters, Tarren , Katie Spencer and Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith.

FolkEast is known for its ‘firsts’ and this year folk musician and writer Jon Wilks is the man behind something really special – a celebration of an iconic London folk venue. Jon will curate the ‘Second Cousins’ stage, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the iconic Les Cousins folk and blues club, a ‘spawning ground’ for musical talent which opened in the basement of a restaurant at 49 Greek Street, Soho, back in 1965.

At Les Cousins musicians of the era met and learnt from each other –legendary names such as Al StewartDavey GrahamBert Jansch, John Renbourn, Sandy Denny, John MartynAlexis KornerThe StrawbsRoy Harper and Paul Simon.

With the involvement of Diana Matheou—who, along with her late husband, Andy, ran the club during its heyday—the stage will feature an exhibition of memorabilia and photography, alongside talks and performances. The line-up will include artists who originally played at the club, as well as younger musicians who embody its exploratory ethos.

Artists performing in this special event will include USA-based Bridget St John, one of the leading lights of the British folk scene of the late Sixties and early Seventies. The Surrey-born singer songwriter is perhaps best known for the three albums she recorded between 1969 and 1972 for John Peel’s Dandelion record label. Peel referred to her as ‘The best lady singer songwriter in the country’.

With many more names to be announced Early Bird weekend tickets are now on sale – prices are £165 (adults aged 18-64), £155 for over 65s and £90 for Youth tickets (12-17 years) which must be purchased with an adult ticket. Family weekend tickets for two adults and two 12-17 year olds are £475.

FolkEast continues its great tradition of offering free admission for children aged 11 and under; camping under canvas is £25, camping under canvas with vehicle alongside £40 and camping on wheels (caravan, camper van, motorhome) £40-£60. Ticket link: folkeast.co.uk/tickets-4/

Details

Start:
August 15
End:
August 17
Website:
https://folkeast.co.uk/

Venue

Sotterley Estate
Beccles, Suffolk NR34 7TY United Kingdom + Google Map