Broadcast Partner
Map
Please view last year's map
Opening Times
Festival opening times will be confirmed soon.
Stage 1
Most artists perform on Stage 1 at some point. Stage 1 is housed with a huge marquee, in front of a large arena, with the main bar at one end. Viewing screens and delay towers are provided within the arena and many people like to sit outside the marquee in the sun, going into the marquee to see specific artists.
Stage 2
Most artists, apart from some of the largest, appear on Stage 2 at some point. Stage 2 also hosts special events such as ceilidhs, a session featuring some of the best instrumentalists booked to appear over the weekend and children’s concert. There is also juggling workshop before the music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Stage 2 is housed within a marquee. If it is raining after the stages finish, sessions can take place within Stage 2.
Club Tent
The Club Tent is a more intimate acoustic stage with its own bar at one end and place to discover unexpected delights. There is a concert on Thursday night, but on Friday, Saturday and Sunday it is hosted on the Festival’s behalf by five regional folk clubs, who present some of their regular guests and floor singers, alongside artists from the main bill and hugely popular Showcases. Over the years there have been some legendary surprise performances, for example Joan Baez joining a local Cambridge musician who she’d met previously at a local pub session.
The Club Tent also presents your chance to perform on stage, as there are a limited number of approximately fifteen minute slots for those attending the Festival. These fifteen minute slots are intended for people already attending the Festival and not for those wishing to attend purely to perform. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Signing up times are given in the Festival programme which will be available on site. If you’re a musician and coming to the festival, as well as taking part in the numerous sessions around the site, do sign up for a slot.
The Den
The Den is a stage for emerging talent and younger artists and audiences, located just round the corner from The Hub, away from the bustle of the main stages. It is a partnership between the Festival, Cambridge’s premier acoustic night The Living Room and former BBC Radio 2 Folk Club of the Year, The Nest Collective. It is set within a beautiful Indian marquee and decorated to create a quirky, welcoming and intimate space. In addition to booked artists, 15 minute slots are set aside daily for musicians attending the Festival. These slots will be allocated via a signing up system on site, details available in the Festival programme.
The Hub
The Hub, located in a mini circus tent next to the Sessions Café, is a music making area reserved for young people only. Here you will find sessions and workshops, with workshops leaders including some of the young artists booked to appear on the stages.
The People’s Front Room
The People’s Front Room is a cosy music venue, which you’ll find just off the main path in front of Cherry Hinton Hall. A melting pot of creativity, artistry and performance, combined in a strangely familiar yet surreal environment, it is run by a collective of artists and musicians. Drop in to listen or perform.
The Flower Garden
The Flower Garden is beautiful area in front of Cherry Hinton Hall intended for quieter forms of entertainment and music making, such as singarounds, storytelling and workshops. This year there will also be instrument makers and luthiers near to The Flower Garden. Musicians are welcome to use this area for quieter sessions, when there is not scheduled entertainment. This area closes at dusk.
Sessions
Impromptu music sessions by members of the audience are encouraged and take place all over the Festival site. They are a very important part of the Festival’s unique atmosphere and we thank these musicians for the great contribution they make towards the event. We encourage you to come together to play music, especially in our new Sessions Café and at Stage 2 after the bands finish.
Sessions Cafe
Near to the The Hub, The Den and the duck pond, is a beautiful new Indian tent offering great food and drinks, late night opening, a space for acoustic sessions after the stages have finished and free Wi-Fi.
Walkabout
A host of street theatre companies bring great walkabout characters and entertainers to both Cherry Hinton Hall and Coldhams Common on a daily basis.
Mobile chargers
A limited number of mobile phone charging points are available, on a first come first served basis, at the Sales & Information shop, the Folknet Cafe and Coldham's Commons. There will be a charge for this service.
Cashpoints
There will be a cashpoint at the entrance to the main arena at Cherry Hinton Hall and beside the box office at Coldham's Common. There will be a charge of £2.50 per transaction.
Chairs, blankets and sunshades
Please consider other Festival goers and do not erect sun shades or bring chairs into the arena unless you really need them. We prefer the use of small, folding, low back supports. Chairs cause obstructions plus are not permitted within or near entrances to marquees. Please allow access to space within marquees and keep pathways clear.
Please don’t leave blankets on the ground if you’re not occupying them, to reserve space or allow them to join up so people can’t walk past. Keep blankets appropriate to the size you need and the people on them. Areas becoming joined up by blankets and people marking territory causes access problems. Stewards may ask you to move or remove blankets and may move unattended items. Blankets within Stage 1 should be taken up after the afternoon break to enable more people to stand within the marquee.
Dogs
Only guide dogs are allowed at the event.
Glass
Do not bring glass. No glass bottles are allowed in the arena; searches will be in operation.
Cherry Hinton Hall entrances
Pedestrians should use Pedestrian Entrance A beside drop off and Pedestrian Entrance B beside The Lodge and not the vehicle entrances. Pedestrian Entrance B is the best entrance for those walking from Netherhall. On Thursday, Pedestrian Entrance B will be opened before any other entrances and the queue for camping will start here heading in an Easterly direction towards the Robin Hood gate. Please follow signs and stewards’ directions when entering and leaving the site.
Official Merchandise & Information
Artist performance times will be available on site in the Souvenir Programme. If you have any queries over the weekend, please call in to the official Merchandise & Information stall found opposite stage 2.
Bring your instruments
We love the spontaneous music and sessions around the site, in the campsites and on the open stages. Bring your acoustic instruments and please start sessions, though not near to the boundary where they could disturb local residents, or to sign up for the Club Tent. We encourage you to come together to play music, especially in our new Sessions Café and at Stage 2 after the bands finish.
Get involved!
There are music workshops, sessions, tai’ chi and healing workshops, plus opportunities to play onstage at both sites. Kids and young people have even more music, craft, sessions and activities especially for them.
Explore the Festival
Why not visit the quieter areas of Cherry Hinton Hall like the duck pond or the nature reserve? The Flower Garden is beautiful area in front of Cherry Hinton Hall intended for quieter forms of entertainment and music making, such as singarounds, storytelling and workshops. Within the campsite there is storytelling, a crèche and play area, a playground and more.
Visit Cambridge City
Why not explore the historic City centre or do some shopping, sometime over the four days? Buses stop right outside the Festival and you can buy a dayrider ticket with unlimited stops for a day.
