Bury Folk Festival set to return for its 10th year at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds

A popular folk festival is all set to return for its 10th year.

Bury Folk Festival will be returning to Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds, for a family-friendly day with a superb lineup, including headliner Reg Meuross and East Anglian up-and-comer Fraser Morgan.

Early Bird tickets are now on sale for the one-day festival, which will feature three music stages and stalls offering local food, drinks (including real ales), and artisanal wares.

The festival is family-friendly, with dedicated children's activities and a safe, welcoming atmosphere. Under-16 tickets are discounted, and under-12s can attend for free.

BFF 2024 will be held in Nowton Park Walled Garden from 10.30am to 9.30pm on 29 June. A fundraiser part has also been organised for May 29.

Gavin Mitchell, one of the founders and organisers said The venue is “safe, immersive, and low-key - perfect for a festival that aims to welcome people from all walks of life”.

Bury Folk Festival (BFF) first ran in 2015. The idea for the event was sparked at Bury Folk Collective and brought to life by local folk artists Gavin Mitchell and Steve Martin.

The festival has become a local favourite, well-known for its laid-back, intimate atmosphere and excellent showcase of folk musicians.

BFF has long spotlighted local music artists – Thy Last Drop, Lizzie Hardingham, The Shackleton Trio, to name but a few – who performed at BFF in the early days of their now-prominent careers.

Steve passed away in December 2022. Despite the blow of losing his co-founder – a talented musician, sound engineer, mentor and friend of 15 years – Gavin said he would continue to organise the festival as part of Steve’s legacy.

Gavin said: “Folk is a broad umbrella, and this festival encourages people with all kinds of tastes to see the talented musicians our region has to offer.

As well as the mainstage acts, BFF offers sessions, sing-arounds, and the chance to mingle with people from the famously friendly folk music scene.

Free parking, low ticket prices (including cheaper evening-only tickets) and accessible facilities help bolster this community feel.

Gavin said: “You can easily pay more for a single evening’s concert, and this is a whole day. It’s important to us to keep the festival affordable and accessible.

Folk music is a broad genre and Bury Folk Festival has something for everyone – from local acts making their start in the music world to nationally-recognised folk artists.

Some of this year’s highlights include:

• Singer-songwriter Reg Meuross – a mainstay of the folk scene. Lauded as a modern

troubadour, his music tells stories that reflect the human experience.

• Colchester-based Fraser Morgan – a rapidly up-and-coming acoustic-folk-punk artist with a high-energy, passionate playing style often compared to the likes of Frank Turner, Jamie T and Billy Bragg.

• The return of the "crazy shanty shenanigans" of Isle 'Ave a Shanty.

See the full schedule at www.buryfolkfestival.co.uk/music/

Full directions and map are on the festival website: