Free Festivals

Former_MSE_Penelope

For a full list of the UK's free festivals and carnivals see the

Regularly Updated:

Free Festivals page

If you've spotted or heard of a free festival please tell us with as much detail as possible, including where and when it is. We'll then check out whether it's free for all and, if it is, add it onto the page.

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Thanks for your help

competitionscafe

Another one for your list:

Meadows Festival, Edinburgh 5th & 6th June 2010

The Meadows Festival is organised and run entirely by volunteers, during the first weekend of June, for the local community.

5th & 6th June 2010

http://www.meadowsfestival.org.uk/

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2980/mf2010poster.jpg

Two live music stages with something to suit every musical taste!
A popular kids tent with activities to keep younger visitors entertained - including face painting, story telling and much more
Stalls selling everything from antiques, clothing, fair trade products etc
information stalls of various types - local associations, campaigns, charities etc
Food stalls to suit every taste and appetite
The art tent with a selection of artwork from students at the ECA
Taylors funfair are situated to the west of the Festival site
Primary school football competition in which various local primary schools compete

Best of all Woodenbox with a fistful of fivers are playing on the main stage: :T
http://www.myspace.com/awoodenbox

artois65

one for the list

Darwen music live 2010 2 day event may 30th and 31st approx 4 stages with live bands also playing in surrounding pubs.

Gweltas1

Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival, June 18th to 20th, in Falmouth, Cornwall is a ticketless festival with free access to all events. However the aim of this festival is to generate funds for the wonderful RNLI (Royal National Lifeboats Association) so one encounters various volunteers wandering about with buckets, hoping for monetary contributions from those of us who have come to hear (and sing along with!) the Shanty Crews. This year's line up includes groups from Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, England, Guernsey, France, Germany and the Netherlands. 23 groups are listed, so far, on their website, which you can find by typing "Falmouth Shout" into your search engine
This is a wonderfully informal and very enjoyable festival and it is entirely up to each individual's conscience as to whether they buy a programme and/or donate to the Lifeboat service. I have been attending this festival for the last 4 years and am happily looking forward to going again this year..... and yes I will be contributing to the RNLI collection buckets, as I owe my life to one particular RNLI lifeboat crew :T!

moorhen_2

One of the best I've ever been to. Great atmosphere & a decent selection of music:
Ipswich Music Day, this year on 4th July: http://www.ip-art.com/what%27s-on/music-day.aspx

jud!th

Keswick Convention. 17-23 July, 24-30 July, 31 July-6 August. Totally free (you just have to pay for local camping/self-catering/whatever).

http://www.keswickministries.org/programme

Bible teaching, great worship, music and fellowship, with separate Kids and Youth programmes (ages 3-18), in the fab town of Keswick in the Lake District. Lots of places to camp, plenty self-catering around.


We went as a family a couple of years ago and it was great. You don't have to be a Christian to go, although you would enjoy it a lot more if you were sympathetic/interested. The singing is amazing and the kids' groups are excellent.

jennym_2

Now in its’ 10th year, this is a small but perfectly formed family friendly festival set in the beautiful Devon countryside eight miles north of Exeter.

There is a wide selection of free gigs featuring both local and international acoustic, jazz, blues and folk bands,

Other entertainment includes a WW2 concert party, a classical concert, an art & craft exhibition, street entertainment, a picnic with live music plus a food and craft market.

There are over 30 bands playing throughout the weekend, including Hobo Jones & the Junkyard Dogs, Jackie Oates, Ellethia, Jim Causley, The Joyce Gang and Julian Piper.

The highlight of this year’s festival is the Saturday night concert by ‘Show of Hands’.

For more details go to the Bradninch events web site.

whatmichaelsays

Opera in the Park at Temple Newsam, Leeds on 24 July (day before Party in the Park)

Line-up not confirmed yet (or at least, I can't find it) but has had some big names in the past (Katherine Jenkins headlined last year I believe).

Tickets are free and available from June 5/6 at various Leeds City Council information points and Leeds Leisure centres

pamelajane

http://www.montrosemusicfestival.co.uk/index.html

28th - 30th May. All free apart from ticketed gig on the Friday night. A great weekend of music, this is now the third year this has been running.

liz545

A couple more for the list - Southwark Council's free youth carnival, The Mix, is on 14 August http://www.southwark.gov.uk/events/event/205/, with Mercury prize rapper Speech Debelle.

Also the UK's biggest Latin American festival, Carnaval del Pueblo is on 1 August: http://www.carnavaldelpueblo.co.uk/

artegirl

One more for the list....
b-side multi media festival, September 17th - 26th 2010.
Explore the flip side of the British seaside. New work created by artists will inhabit Weymouth & Portland, Dorset for one week only...huge light projections, choral performances in an underground bunker and much more.
More seaside bric not brac!