Wessex Folk Festival

  • The Wessex Folk Festival is pleased to announce a few of the Acts that will appear at this years Festival on the 31st May and June 1st.

Man the Lifeboats

Get ready for an electrifying performance as Man the Lifeboats bring their high-energy folk-punk sound to the Wessex Folk Festival 2025! This dynamic band blends raucous melodies, foot-stomping rhythms, and heartfelt storytelling, creating a live experience that is both exhilarating and unforgettable.

With influences ranging from The Pogues and Bellowhead to Frank Turner, their music is packed with passion, humor, and anthemic choruses that will have you singing along in no time. Expect a mix of original songs and riotous folk-infused tunes that celebrate life, love, and everything in between.

Don’t miss Man the Lifeboats as they take to the stage—grab a drink, join the crowd, and let the music carry you away!

Martin Harley

For over two decades, Martin Harley has been captivating audiences around the world with his rich, roots-driven sound. Blending blues, slide guitar, and a deep connection to storytelling, his music has never felt more grounded. The Guardian described his style as “spellbinding,” and with eight albums under his belt—four recorded in the UK and four across the Atlantic in Texas and Nashville—his journey continues to evolve.

The Festival dates for this year are Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2025.

The famous Free Wessex Folk Festival has been established for the past 20 years. It is one of the biggest free festivals in the UK, held on the picturesque Harbourside in Weymouth.

The weekend starts with ‘warm up’ sessions in the harbourside pubs on Friday 30th May 2025 afternoon and evening, where people met up with friends, old and new, to ‘kick off’ the Festival atmosphere.

There will be 2 Stages at the Festival, the Main one in Hope square and the Harbourside Stage both featuring a great selection of acts throughout the weekend. Many of them local Musicians.

There will be Morris dancing throughout the weekend, along the harbourside, workshops where you could learn musical things, and lots of wonderful trade stalls selling food, drink, clothes, gifts, jewellery, keepsakes – all with that ‘folky vibe’. The pubs continue with their great music sessions in the afternoons and evenings. We welcome you all to this years Wessex Folk Festival 2025.