Folkestone Songwriting Festival

12/05/2026

Tonight people of Kent.
This is a brilliant project from two master songwriters, musicians who are also such entertaining raconteurs....perfect for a mid week treat.
Sipport from Lucy May Walker and there will be some t1x otd
Oh and apologies, it's Yvonne Lyon and not Lyons!
As I'm still far away fettung better dear pals Debs Earl from Folk In The Barn is stepping in to host ...so grateful as the night will be in her expert hands.
It would be lovey to fill the rest of the seats for Boo snd Yvonne ...Boo has been such a supporter of Folkestone Songwriting Festival since the beginning and we just love him so please come and see them.
If you've never been to see Boo before, ynow you will be so glad you took the punt.
I'll be watching and waving from the terrace.
Best to get in b4 ticket line closes to save a few bob but even at £14/£16 it's a treat....I travelled to Oundle to see Boo a few months ago and with overnight accommodation it was still worth it !

23/04/2026

Next up!
A nurturing creative retreat deep in the heart of the Lake District led by women for women.
With Michele Stodart Official and Rachel Sermanni ..
Message to book 🎵❤️🎵

23/04/2026

Clea blew us all away this year when she attended the writing retreat in February - not only is she an incredible vocalist and musician she is also a really special person. A full time musician and working mum she is totally authentic in her music and writing and honest about the challenges she faces balancing it all.
She is playing this Friday at The Sound Lounge in Sutton with her band and fellow Folkestone Songwriting Festival attendees Steve Gamble is opening the evening.
A few of the FSF community are going. How about you?

AaaahhhAAAHHHHHH! CANNOT WAIT TO ROCK OUT, ok and Breathe. I am calm. 😝 So excited for this Friday at with my band and btw first gig in YEARS with DRUMS 🥁 Yes baby 😍 our kids are grown into teenagers and we have some spare fresh energy! Tickets in bio or check soundlounge website - come and have a great night out with us!

08/04/2026

Special Announcement:

Folkestone Songwriters Festival Edition 10
5th - 7th October 🎵🎵🎵
Special Guest Tutor Boo Hewerdine plus more tba.
It's going to be magical ✨️ ✨️✨️✨️
Programme and everything available soon!!

31/03/2026

Got a local gig coming up in May?
Get it listed in the physical Music In May programme and digital gig guide...deadline is Today!

18/03/2026

Findlay Napier will be playing tonight up at The Green Note in Camden.
I'll be popping up later if you're around.
Further afield tomorrow evening he will be playing with his pal and ours Boo Hewerdine in Oundle for a concert which is in itself a songwriting masterclass
I'll be popping up there as well.
Might see you

18/03/2026

It was a real honour to host the wonderful wandering troubadour Gabriel Moreno to Folkestone for the first time last month and if you want a full show...and you really should.....he will be at the quirky quaint Tom Thumb theatre in Cliftonville.
The perfect setting for Gabriel and his minstrels.

15/03/2026

It's such an honour to be opening for the brilliant Alison Raynor band later in the month....also in the band is one of my guitar heroes from back in the day is Deirdre Cartwright, guitarist with Girlschool.
I had a cracking rehearsal with Berni Eveleigh this afternoon where we talked about amongst loads of other things, the songs and how they came about.
Berni is a really unique musician and I really love what he is doing with the guitar and as the singer of the songs I create ...words, melody, arrangements etc it's really exciting to hear how they shape shift when I work with a different musician when they bring their own interpretation to the mix.
Be great to see you at the gig!

10/03/2026

Good morning all and greetings from my little terrace studio in my favourite getaway in Morocco where I am preparing the reports for Arts Council England .
I am so delighted we surpassed our hopes and dreams for this year's ambitions and the vision I had about slowly and steadily expanding our intentions have been actualised.
I have always wanted the festival to be a small but important event because I have been around long enough to see what can happen when good intention goes wrong and the impact this has on venues, artists and the promoters who carry the burden of risk.
Some people talk to me about how it could be bigger and better and how it coukd be a 'real' festival and I have resisted, believing that ambition has to be nurtured within the ever changing landscapes.
There are always valuable insights to be gained along the way, on the planning, the pre delivery and the delivery which continues to shape the festival and this year is by far one where there has been some major behind the scenes issues - partnerships that have not worked out and others that have been truly brilliant.
There will always be challenges and most of them can be dealt with ....this will be the 10th Folkestone Songwriting Festival and it hasn't continued this long without lots of troubleshooting .
And on we go....🎵🙏🎵

24/02/2026

How amazing is this?? And we have Hannah & Keiron, with Findlay Napier with us TOMORROW in jolly old Folkestone!

https://wegottickets.com

Can’t believe after a 11hr drive we made it to for ! And what a way to enter with and !

Can’t wait to play with supporting tomorrow at