Gate to Southwell Festival

03/06/2026

🎤The Proclaimers
🛢️Peat & Diesel
🎻Elephant Sessions
🎵Kris Drever

Tickets are selling at record levels but travelling Scottish music fans can still catch some of the best Celtic and Canadian artists performing in rural Nottinghamshire next month. The headliners on Friday July 3rd will be Scotland’s most famous and much-loved duo The Proclaimers, while on Saturday night (4th) GTSF welcomes those highly-entertaining “Hebridean Pogues” Peat & Diesel from Stornaway, and Sunday the 5th’s highlights include multi award-winning dance outfit Elephant Sessions.

In addition to top Irish act Ranagri, also on the Sunday, Gate To Southwell 2026 will hosting a special ‘Celtic-infused’ East Coast of Canada showcase on Saturday and Sunday starring Campbell & Johnston from Nova Scotia, Toronto-born banjo/guitar man Old Man Luedecke, Rum Rugged from Newfoundland, acclaimed folk songstress Emilea May from Prince Edward Island, Matthew Byrne & Sherman Downey from Labrador & Newfoundland, Cape Breton duo Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen, and Aboiteau from New Brunswick. Plus another brilliant, award-winning Canadian live act The Fugitives will be returning to Southwell following their memorable performances back in 2024.

The festival organisers recently announced that the ultimate “musician’s musicians” Kris Drever & Calahen Morrison, from Orkney and the USA respectively, will also be appearing on Saturday July 4th. Seven-time BBC Folk Award winner Kris played Southwell in 2023 and is well known for his great work with the trio Lau, and with Eddie Reader and Mark Knopfler.

Tickets www.gtsf.uk

26/05/2026

🥵Twas a little warm when we put up some goose deterrent fencing along the lake yesterday. Apparenly geese don't like flying in or out of water over an obstacle, and this is aimed at minimising the camping field goose poo issue we had last year. They can happily use the other shore. We looked at lots of options and this one came out on top! Spot the carp fins in the water 🐟

A few more changes this year after feedback last year include
- extra campsite toilets and low level chemical waste points
- a sauna (bookable in advance - see website)
- a holistic therapy and massage tent
- early access option for those with 4-day tickets allowing arrival on Wednesday evening (add-on ticket required)
- some fixed seating under the Lake Stage canopy

Mostly it'll be more of the UK's best small folk and roots festival: we're an independent, brilliantly curated, genuinely friendly, perfectly sized festival with a rich mix of UK and international roots music in a beautiful lakeside setting! See you there 👏😀

tickets: www.gtsf.uk

26/05/2026

👍Nice preview of GTSF 2026 here from AmericanaUK

With only a few weeks to go until the 19th Gate To Southwell Festival, fans are looking forward to this four-day event in rural Nottinghamshire which runs from 2nd-5th July. The festival features m…

20/05/2026

🎶Announced: Alex Akiba to play from Thursday to Saurday. He's a contemporary folk musician hailing from Disley, blending introspective lyrics often inspired by nature, with intricate fingerstyle guitar.

www.gtsf.uk/alexakiba

Alex's sound evokes the subtle emotional depth of artists of the 70’s folk revival. His live performances consist of original music with a few traditional songs and contemporary folk covers in the mix such as songs by Nick Drake and John Martyn.

16/05/2026

🎟️Ticket update: we are now down to the last few of the first batch of Friday tickets (when The Proclaimers play). The second limited batch will then be released at a higher price.⏱️

12/05/2026

🪕Announced, The Fugitives return to GTSF on Sunday 5th July. A Canadian band with a reputation for unforgettable live shows, brimming with complex harmonies, infectious storytelling and top-notch musicianship.

www.gtsf.uk/thefugitives

"The four part vocals are sensational… each of these Fugitives has the talent, voice and charisma to front their own band" Edmonton Sun

12/05/2026

https://vimeo.com/1191141888

In memory of the wonderful Moya Brennan of Clannad. Here she is performing at GTSF with her family and their close Donegal friends the Henry Girls.

I’d known Moya almost 40 years – her husband, the photographer Tim Jarvis, is my oldest friend – and we’ve enjoyed so many great times together. Apart from having one of the greatest, most-recognisable and moving voices on the planet, Moya was such a gentle, warm and caring person.

We first met when Tim and I were working on the New Musical Express in the 1980s and Tim took photos of Moya in Ireland not long after the release of Clannad’s ‘Macalla’ album, featuring the magnificent ‘In A Lifetime’ duet with Bono.

Tim and Moya fell in love and she would come to stay in our council flat in Brixton. From that point onwards we’d visit Dublin and Donegal to spend time with Moya and the whole Clannad family, often drinking in her Dad’s bar in Gweedore – Leo’s Tavern - along with Moya’s four brothers and four sisters, and their uncles the Duggans.

Moya came over and performed at GTSF in both 2014 and 2015, first headlining with Clannad and then returning as the Jarvis Family with Moya, Tim and their talented kids Aisling and Paul. Fond memories of Moya drinking champagne, singing and playing her harp in our kitchen in Normanton.

Thank you for everything lovely Moya. Sending love and condolences to Tim, Aisling and Paul, and all the Clannad/Brennan family.

Len & everyone at GTSF x

This is "Jarvis Family (feat Henry Girls)" by Len Brown on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

28/04/2026

🔥ᴡᴏᴏᴅ-ꜰɪʀᴇᴅ ꜱᴀᴜɴᴀ! ʙᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢꜱ ɴᴏᴡ ᴏᴘᴇɴ...🔥
Fancy a proper reset between sets? This year we’re introducing a properly luxe wood-fired sauna and lakeside chill-out area – a little pocket of calm just a short wander from the music.

Tucked beside the lake, the sauna offers that deep, restorative heat you only get from wood-firing, with space to unwind afterwards under our stretch tent. Think bean bags, deck chairs - not a bad way to spend 45 minutes at a festival.

It's run by Zoky Saunascape and you can book now! It's running from Wednesday for those with an early arrival ticket (Wednesday Add-on) right through to Sunday evening.

Fancy a proper reset between sets? This year we’re introducing a wood-fired sauna and lakeside chill-out area – a little pocket of calm just a short wander from the music.Tucked beside the lake, the sauna offers that deep, restorative heat you only get from wood-firing, with space to unwind afte...

10/04/2026

🎶Annouced: Joining our ECMA showcase from Prince Edward Island is emerging singer-songwriter Emilea May. Poignant storytelling, evocative lyrics and memorable melodies.

www.gtsf.uk/emileamay

She's from one of PEI's great musical families, her grandfather Gene MacLellan wrote Anne Murray’s “Snowbird” and her aunt is multi-award-winning folk artist Catherine MacLellan (who played GTSF in 2024). May is more than a traditional singer-songwriter, her open-tuning harmony and lilting melodies evoke Phoebe Bridgers, Sarah Harmer, Joni Mitchell and Madison Cunningham. Playing across the whole festival.

06/04/2026

⚠️UPDATE: unfortunately The Wran have had to pull out of our date. We'll be announcing a replacement ASAP.⚠️

🎵Announced: The Wran to play Friday. Four brothers bringing a fresh voice to Irish music, blending trad with punk and a hint of psychedelia to create music that feels both timeless and new.

www.gtsf.uk/thewran

We saw them play recently in Newcastle - a sold out gig at The Cumberland Arms - and just had to get them to GTSF. They were supported by Watersmeet at that gig, a new discovery for us, also coming to GTSF this year!