Lichfield Festival of Folk
Lichfield Festival of Folk 2025 returns this year for its 13th unforgettable year! Celebrating Staffordshire’s rich folk traditions and beyond, the festival brings together vibrant concerts, family events, lively pub sessions, and one of the largest gatherings of traditional folk dancers in the calendar. Enjoy our diverse free fringe programme packed with community events for all ages, as well as stunning evening concerts featuring world class acts in our historical Guildhall.
Folk Train 2025 –
Wednesday 3rd Sept
All aboard the LFF Folk Train! Departing from Lichfield City Station, enjoy a lively folk session on the train before arriving at Sutton Coldfield, where the music continues with a singaround and session at the Three Tuns Pub. Whether you’re a player or a spectator, join the fun anywhere along the journey. It’s a unique chance to celebrate folk music on the move! Further details and timings will be announced soon—stay tuned!
Lichfield Folk on the Farm 2025 – Sunday 14th Sept
Lichfield Folk on the Farm continues this year’s celebration with a vibrant one-day family festival on Sunday 14th September at Woodhouse and Garden CIC. With live performances, workshops, and activities for all ages in a stunning farm setting, it’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in folk traditions and enjoy a memorable day with family and friends. No wonder it’s sold out for three years running! Line-up and programme revealed soon.
Friday Evening Concert –
Friday 3rd October
The Lichfield Festival of Folk Festival weekend kicks off on Friday 3rd October with an electrifying concert in the Guildhall from Common Culture. This brilliant fiddle-driven alternative folk band blends traditional and contemporary sounds with three-part harmonies, delivering foot-stomping, uplifting anthems full of catchy hooks and infectious rhythms. Supporting them is the talented Joseph Davis. After the concert, join the late-night ceilidh featuring the LFF Ceilidh Band and caller Peter Cole for one night only.
Saturday Evening Concert – Saturday 4th October
Closing Lichfield Festival of Folk 2025, join us at the historic Guildhall for an unforgettable evening. Headliners Merry Hell, a dynamic English folk-rock band known for their powerful storytelling, infectious energy, and rich harmonies, take the stage with their signature blend of folk, rock, and punk influences. Supporting them is local duo Farefeld, celebrated for their soulful vocals and intricate acoustic melodies that captivate audiences. Kicking off the evening are the winners of the 2025 Lichfield Festival of Folk Songwriting Competition.
LFF Songwriting Competition 2025 – Deadline 16th August 2025
Lichfield Arts is delighted to invite singers, songwriters, and musicians to enter the 2025 Lichfield Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, now open for submissions until 16th August 2025. Entry is free!
Proudly sponsored once again by The Duke of York pub, the competition offers cash prizes and performance opportunities for emerging folk songwriting talent. The winning song will receive £100, with £50 awarded to the runner-up.
The Lichfield Arts Songwriting Competition exists to support, encourage, and develop new voices in folk music. For the purposes of this competition, ‘folk’ is defined in the broadest possible sense, embracing both traditional and contemporary styles.
- Songs must not be commercially available online.
- Songs must be entirely human-created; the use of AI in the songwriting process is not permitted.
- Entries may be submitted by individuals or groups. All contributors must be credited.
- Lyrics must be submitted alongside the song.
- Songs must be no longer than five minutes.
- A maximum of two entries per person or group is allowed.
- Entry is free of charge.
Please send your entries as either an MP3 file, or a SoundCloud or YouTube link, to: [email protected] along with a completed entry form.
Entrants are asked to identify whether they would be available to perform their song at one or both of the following live events (please note: performance availability is not a requirement for entry):
- 14th September – “Folk on the Farm”, Whittington (near Lichfield)
- 4th October – Final Concert, Lichfield Guildhall
The songwriting competition offers a platform for emerging talent while giving audiences the opportunity to discover fresh and original folk music. If you or someone you know has a song ready to be heard, we would love to hear from you.
