Is the Durham Folk Festival a new event to get excited about? Kinda…

You should be exited by the Durham Folk Festival, very exited given the line-up, but it’s not entirely a new event. It’s “sort of/kind of” replacing the Hartlepool Folk Festival, which had a glorious run between 2015 and 2025. The same organisers are on board, but they’ve made a strategic decision to up sticks and move to the spectacular setting of Durham. Running for three days, it will feature over 100 performances, screenings, talks, family events, workshops, and those unstoppable ceilidhs. There’s so much going on that it’s hard to pick out highlights but here are some gigs that I’m particularly excited about. First off, Belinda O’Hooley & Jackie Oates are currently ranking near the top of UK folk royalty. Bringing together O’Hooley’s richly expressive piano work—she is justly celebrated worldwide for her work in O'Hooley & Tidow and the ‘Gentleman Jack’ theme—with Oates’ exquisite, deeply tender fiddle playing and vocals, this duo offers a rare collaborative treat. I’m expecting an intimate, spellbinding set. For those craving sheer virtuosity and unadulterated energy, accordion legend Sharon Shannon (pictured) needs no introduction. The Irish multi-instrumentalist has spent decades redefining traditional music, effortlessly blending legacy reels with reggae, hip-hop, and country flourishes without ever losing the genre’s beating heart. Expect a rousing, euphoric gig that will have feet stomping from the first bar—a guaranteed festival high-point. If you prefer your folk intricate, atmospheric, and deeply immersive, Leveret are an absolute must-see. Comprising Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney, and Rob Harbron, the trio operates almost telepathically on stage. Playing without setlists or pre-arranged charts, their performance relies on pure spontaneous interaction and listening. The result is a lush, rolling soundscape of English traditional tunes that feels entirely fresh every single time they play. The festival is also carving out space for breathtaking, world-class innovation, best embodied by Palestinian nay master and composer Faris Ishaq. Bringing ancient woodwind traditions into dialogue with contemporary jazz, global rhythms, and subtle electronics, Ishaq transforms the traditional end-blown flute into an instrument of astounding emotional depth. His appearance is set to be one of the most hypnotic and transportive sets of the entire weekend. Meanwhile, Angeline Morrison brings a crucial, vital voice to the weekend’s lineup. Her groundbreaking, award-winning work exploring the historical presence and stories of Black people in British folk song has rightfully earned her massive critical acclaim. Paired with her soaring, haunting vocal style and delicate autoharp arrangements, her performance promises to be as profoundly moving and thought-provoking as it is musically captivating. Finally, keep a close eye out for Spafford Campbell. Offering a fresh, compelling dynamic to the festival schedule, their music bridges classic acoustic storytelling with a modern, vibrant edge. It’s a brilliant inclusion that underscores what the team behind this new Durham iteration does best: balancing revered folk heritage with the exciting future of the scene. So, whether you’re heading down to lose yourself in the relentless swing of a ceilidh, or catch a rare intimate acoustic set, or soak up world-class global roots music, Durham is where you need to be this September.

Durham Folk Festival, Friday 18-Sunday 20 September, various Durham venues, a range of tickets and more information from: durhamfolkfest.org.uk