Welcome to Bungay Folk Festival. Building on the success of 2024 we are delighted to say that BFF 2025 is going to happen and we have lots of music, dance and workshops in store for you again. Much of the music is free to access so put the dates in your calendar and watch for the regular updates.
Better in Bungay.
Headliners
-
![]()
Mishra
Friday 5th September 2025
Mishra are an award-winning global folk collective who use their strong roots in U.K folk to weave a tight web of intricate, Indian-influenced original music into joyous live performances. Mishra are playing in The Fisher Theatre. You will need ticket for this event.
-
![]()
Eliza Carthy
Saturday 6th September 2025
Describing herself simply as a ‘modern English musician’, Eliza Carthy is one of the most recognisable faces in British folk.
She has received an MBE; numerous BBC R2 Folk Awards; two Mercury Prize nominations. Eliza is performing two concerts in The Fisher Theatre. The first one at 1.30pm is an hour with her great friend and local poet Luke Wright. This promises to be a fusion of folk and ballad as you have never heard it before. This is a unique performance and unlikely to be repeated as genius + genius is not 2 x genius. Its (genius)² - rarely encountered.
-
![]()
Tamsin Elliott and Tarek Elazhary
Sunday 7th September
Tamsin’s award-winning collaboration with Egyptian oud player Tarek Elazhary explores the parallels and celebrates the idiosyncrasies of Egyptian Maqam music and English folk traditions. Their friendship and resulting duo album So Far We Have Come is a testament to the unifying power of music, and won them a place in The Guardian’s Top Ten Folk Albums of 2023, as well as a nomination for Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards.
Tamsin and Tarek are playing in St Mary’s Church. They are supported by The Waveney SHE Choir. You will need a ticket for this event. 4.45 - 7.00pm
-
![]()
The Wilswood Buoys
Sunday 7th September 2025
Folk Picnic 12.00 - 5.00pm Castle Bailey
From Mersea Island in Essex this young, new, and exciting duo, Wilswood Buoys, are currently cutting their name into the UK underground scene.
Mixing trad folk, with modern alternative acoustic pop, the band have a sound that’s raw, fresh, familiar, and accessible.
Josh and Joe are, like a lot of bands, a couple of mates who from simply getting together for a jam saw things quickly escalate into writing music and playing local gigs. Both had a completely different upbringing in terms of musical styles leading them down a path of intertwined genres worked into one, with a thread of catchy riffs, natural chemistry, and big, bold choruses.
This is a free concert on Sunday 7th Sept on The Castle Bailey
-
![]()
The King Driscolls
Sunday 7th September 2025
Folk Picnic 12.00 - 5.00pm Castle Bailey
The King Driscoll's are a band born from pub sessions. Their songwriting is influenced by their work in the woodlands and fields of East Anglia. They sing songs of our times, with humility and optimism for the future. This is a free concert. You can see The King Driscols on Sunday 7th Sept at the folk picnic on The Castle Bailey.
-
![]()
Orchestra of Samples
Sunday 7th September 2025
Described as “ingenious and compelling” by The Times, ethno-sampling mavericks Addictive TV return to the Fisher to perform their global folk music project Orchestra of Samples with new tracks and surprise guests! From Senegal to Kazakhstan, Colombia to India, and all across Europe, they filmed over 300 musicians playing all manner of traditional instruments, sampling them to create new music of extraordinary fusions. Immerse yourself in mesmerising rhythmic dialogues with sampled musicians on screen and live musicians on stage, and discover instruments you never knew existed!.
This is the closing concert of the festival in The Fisher Theatre on Sunday 7th Sept.
https://www.orchestraofsamples.com
Intrigued? Check this out
-
![]()
Sound Tradition
Saturday 6th September
Sound Tradition is an a cappella folk foursome singing in glorious harmony. Their varied repertoire ranges from lively chorus songs to lilting ballads, and from medieval times to the modern day, but always with an ear for the English folk tradition.
Sound Tradition will be be singing in St Mary’s Church on Sat 6th Sept supported by Bungay choir The Castle Singers.
The Castle Singers will sing music especially written for this event. It is called 'Out of the Night Harvest'. This is a collection of secular choral pieces composed by choir leader, William Drew-Batty.
Sound Tradition are also running two singing workshops.
-
![]()
Clark and Zuppardi
Saturday 6th September
Clark & Zuppardi bring together two of Norfolk’s most versatile musicians around a shared love of Bluegrass and American roots music. Equally at home ripping up traditional fiddle tunes or adding a tender touch to their own self-penned songs and tunes, the virtuosic mandolin playing of Nic Zuppardi (The Shackleton Trio) combines beautifully with the vocals, guitar and banjo of Adam Clark (Nobodaddy, Cobbler Bob String Band).
You can see Nic and Adam at The Fisher Theatre on Sat 6th Sept. Access is free but you will need ticket.
-
![]()
Chris Cleverley + support from Flànn
Friday 5th September 2025
Chris Cleverley was born under a solstice moon, in the honeysuckle mysticism of a late 80s Midsummer. As his fledgling days unfurled, the symbolic sounds of ‘Hunky Dory’, ‘Graceland’ and ‘Ladies of The Canyon’ echoed from the woodchip walls of the South Birmingham terrace where he was raised.
“Rather Lovely Electro-Folk” – Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie – BBC 6 Music
“The feel of Elliott Smith & Sufjan Stevens” – Scottish Daily Express ★★★★
“Haunting” – The Sunday Times
Support from Irish trad band Flànn
-
![]()
John Ward Trio
Saturday 6th September 2025
The John Ward Trio delivers powerful 3-part harmonies, with acoustic guitar, bodhran, harmonica, double bass, mandolin, accordion and recorder to bring a fuller sound to John's excellent songs. The Trio also draws on its wider repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk tunes and songs, many of them suited to communal singing. The Trio’s performances are authentic and heartfelt, engaging audiences with their choice of material. You can see The John Ward Trio showcase original material about Buffalo Bill’s visit to Lowestoft in The Fisher Theatre and their main act in St Mary’s Church.
You will need a ticket for the Fisher Theatre but these are free. Contact the box office directly to avoid booking fees.
-
![]()
Folk Picnic
Join us on the Castle Bailey on Sunday 7th Sept for an afternoon of free music 12.00 - 5.00pm. Bring your own picnic or buy food from the food vans and beer stall.
We start with a procession of Scottish pipers and have music from Rattlebox, The King Driscolls, The Wilswood Buoys, Klezmerized. Dancing from Kemps Men and Bungay Primary School.
Important information
-
We are very lucky to have received funding from Suffolk County Council, East Suffolk Council, Bungay Town Council and BEBA (Bungay Events and Business Association). This means that most of the weekend events are free. There will be free music and Morris dancing during the day on Saturday and Sunday. There is a Folk Picnic on Sunday afternoon on Bungay Castle Bailey and a free family ceilidh on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Community Centre.
-
There will be music sessions taking place across the town in the pubs and the Three Tuns Cellar will host several bands as well. We have a number of lovely places such as Falcon Meadow, the Castle Bailey, Dinky’s garden and music friendly cafes and galleries that would welcome a tune or two. Just ask if its okay first as they may be very busy at that time.
-
Check out the Dancing, Bands and Workshop pages for links to buy tickets
If you haven't already, sign up to our mailing list!
For any questions or enquiries please contact us:
bungayfolk@gmail.com
07403246161
Bungay, Suffolk
