Information & FAQs

Before the festival – 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday

Festival weekend – Friday 09:30-22:00, Saturday & Sunday 09:30-21:00, Monday 09:30-16:00

Telephone number 01743 892 800

Q – What is going on with planning for the 2021 festival in COVID-19 land?

A – We are busy planning our 2021 festival with coronavirus restrictions in mind but it’s an ever evolving situation and truthfully we’re not sure what measures might be in place by August 2021. But be reassured, we will be adapting our festival to be as safe as possible. Keep an eye on our social media channels where we will make any announcements and keep you informed about what changes, if any, there may be.

If you held onto your 2020 tickets, thank you! You don’t need to do anything except keep them safe and bring them with you to the 2021 festival.

Weekend wristband colours will indicate if you are entitled to camp or not so please make sure you book the correct tickets. Weekend tickets have 3 tiers. The earlier you buy your tickets, the cheaper they are. 

Each tier has a limited number of tickets and when they’re gone, they’re gone so please book early! When tier 1 tickets have sold out the price will automatically change to tier 2 and so on. See more pricing information here.

CONCESSIONARY TICKETS (adult weekend tickets only).

Prices are tiered and like all other tickets, when they’re gone they’re gone. Please continue reading to find out if you qualify.

Concession tickets are for people aged 65+ (men & women), full time students, people claiming Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Customers requiring a carer may purchase a second weekend ticket at the concessionary price.

Please provide proof of entitlement when you collect your tickets, or the full price will be charged.

Wristband colours will indicate if you are entitled to camp or not so please make sure you book the correct tickets. 

Camping is available at the standard rate.

CHILD AND YOUTH TICKETS AND CAMPING FOR UNDER 18s

All under 18s tickets are priced according to age (0-4yrs go free). Camping is free for everyone aged 0-10yrs and does not need to be booked. See more pricing information here.

Youth 11-17yrs camping costs £11, available with weekend tickets only.

Under no circumstances will youths be permitted entry to Shrewsbury Folk Festival without adult accompaniment.

Wristband colours will indicate if youths are entitled to camp or not so please make sure you book the correct tickets. N.B. if camping is required the adult must camp with, or next to, the youth’s camping pitch.

If you think your age will be questioned, please bring personal identification.

ALL UNDER 18s MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

FAMILY TICKETS (AVAILABLE WITH OR WITHOUT CAMPING)

2 adults and 2 children (5-10yrs)

2 adults and 1 child (5-10yrs) and 1 youth (11-17yrs)

2 adults and 2 youths (11-17yrs)

The team at Gigantic are currently working from home due to coronavirus so physical tickets aren’t being posted out at the moment.

Tickets will be delivered by Royal Mail @ £2.50 per order to all addresses in the UK. A signature may be required.

Tickets are posted out in batches but usually within three weeks of ordering (see note above). If you feel like you’ve been waiting for ages give Gigantic a call on 0115 807 7900 or email customerservices@gigantic.com and they should be able to help you further.

Do you live outside the UK?

Tickets for customers residing outside the UK will be held for collection at the festival. For ticket booking queries please contact Gigantic Tickets on +44 115 807 7900 or email customerservices@gigantic.com Souvenir programmes are not available to addresses outside the UK.

You can buy tickets 24/7 online here.

Gigantic Tickets will manage all of our online and telephone ticket sales. You can pay using Visa, Visa Debit, Electron, MasterCard, Maestro, Solo, and JCB cards.

We no longer accept cheques.

Automated confirmation emails are sent within minutes of ordering. If you can’t spot yours, please check your junk or spam folder before contacting Gigantic Tickets on 0115 807 7900 or email customerservices@gigantic.com

Telephone orders can be taken from Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00 on 0115 807 7900 (or +44 115 807 7900 from outside the UK).

Refunds are not available on day tickets.

Refunds on weekend tickets (usually for medical emergencies) will be given consideration on written request by emailing sandra@shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk before 1st June 2021 and will be subject to a 50% administration fee. Do not return your ticket/s to Gigantic Tickets without permission.

SORRY – NO REFUNDS on any ticket after 1st June 2021. Once tickets have been bought at a certain price, there will be no refunds of balance difference on any other ticket option offered.

If tickets are lost there will be no replacement; please put them in a safe place and remember where you’ve put them ;).

Please keep your tickets very safe and bring them with you when you come to the festival because you will need to exchange the entire ticket (both parts intact) for your wristbands when you arrive.

Wristbands cannot be issued without physical tickets unless you live outside the UK.

Wristbands will be fitted on to your wrist at the ticket office when you arrive and cannot be replaced if lost.

Wristbands are not transferable between different persons and must be displayed at all times.

Broken, copied or defaced wristbands are unacceptable and will result in access to the facilities being denied.

Friday

Tickets are valid from 12:00-01:00. Events start at approximately 17:00.

Saturday & Sunday

Tickets are valid from 09:00-01:00

Monday

Tickets are valid from 09:00-18:30

Timings are approximate.

Weekend

Tickets are valid from Friday to Monday inclusive. We open on Friday 07:00 for campers, 12:00 for non-campers.

 VAT

All ticket prices include VAT.

All tickets are subject to availability and terms and conditions.

Camping is available for weekend ticket holders only from Friday 07:00-Tuesday 12:00 (weekend ticket holders). 

Please note: Gate 11 in Berwick Road will open at 06:00. You’ll be able to access ALL campsites from 07:00. Everyone (except pedestrians) arriving before 10:00 will come in through gate 11. No traffic permitted down Gravel Hill Lane until 10:00. People arriving on foot access the site through gate 2 in Gravel Hill Lane from 07:00. 

Please note: about 525 stewards, artists, MCs, contractors and committee will already be camping onsite when you arrive. It may look like a lot but we can guarantee no members of the public will be onsite and camping before opening time

Wristband colours will indicate if you are entitled to camp so please make sure you book the correct tickets. Camping costs £27 per adult and £11 per youth.

If you wish to camp you will need to book a weekend ticket with camping for each person. Camping is free for 0-10yrs and does not need to be booked.

If you need to add camping tickets to an existing order of weekend tickets, you can only do so by calling Gigantic Tickets on 0115 807 7900.

Camping is not available as a stand-alone ticket or with day tickets.

Thursday camping is not permitted.

We allow reasonable size tents but do expect you to be considerate and not erect all the berths of a 15 berth tent when there are only two of you! Cars can be parked by tents, caravans, camper vans and motorhomes etc. and can be moved on and off site unless the weather is very wet. Awnings and gazebos are permitted but again please be considerate with the space you use. Camping pitches are not pre-bookable. There is no electric hook up available. Camping is not permitted in the car park field. We have designated quiet, late night and family areas. The campsite is suitable for seasoned and novice campers alike and is completely flat with roadways throughout the site.

Ample free car parking space is available for people who are not camping. Camping is not permitted in the car park field. Car parking is available from 12:00 on Friday 27 August 2021. You can leave your car with us all weekend if you wish but please remember we can’t be held responsible for any loss or damage.

West Midlands Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 2PF (do not post anything to this address).

There is wheelchair access at most venues and viewing spaces in concert marquees. Our stewards will do all they can to ensure you enjoy the festival, just shout if you need any help. Battery charging is available for electric scooters and wheelchairs; arrangements can be made with our campsite wardens and a donation to Hope House would be greatly appreciated. Please be aware that we will do our level best to keep your equipment safe but we can’t be held responsible for any loss or damage. You may need a Radar Key to use the toilet and shower facilities; these can be hired from our onsite ticket office at £10 each.

There is a designated camping area (not bookable in advance but big enough to accommodate everyone) situated close to performance venues and accessible toilets and showers. The whole site is totally flat and has tarmac roadways. Car parking space is reserved for Blue Badge holders.

Wheelchairs and mobility scooters will be available to hire from £10 per day, located opposite Sabrina Marquee. To book in advance please call 01630 654381 or during the festival weekend 0776 681 6003.

Our lost child point is in the First Aid building right next to gate 2. Please ensure children in your care are fully supervised at all times on the festival site and at children’s sessions, events or entertainments.

There are baby changing facilities at the Pandemonium! children’s tent. SFF is breastfeeding friendly and parents are welcome to feed anywhere on the site. However, if they would like some shelter from the scorching sun (we can dream!) we have a feeding area in the Pandemonium! tent.

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ORDER A PROGRAMME IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE THE UK.

Artist’s performance days are listed on the Who is on When page. A very basic programme will be available on our website in mid-August. If you live in the UK you can buy a souvenir programme online until 17:00 on the 10^th August but please note they will NOT be posted before 15^thAugust. Please do not order a programme if you think you’ll be on holiday during potential delivery dates. Programmes will be available to buy when you arrive at the festival.

If you live locally, programmes will be available (from the 15^th August) at the Visitor Information Centre, The Music Hall, The Square, Shrewsbury, SY1 1LH.

Tickets allow admission to all venues, space permitting, and because of this an actual seat cannot be guaranteed. You may on occasion have to stand or wait to get into a venue if a particular performance space gets full.

We do not sell specific artist/event/concert tickets.

Our main venues will be closed at teatime (Saturday & Sunday) during sound checks.

All venues have seats – you do not need to bring your own. You are welcome to bring your own seats if you wish to sit outside of venues.

All venues are no smoking and no vaping venues.

Check out our venues here.

Friday 17:00-00:45, Saturday and Sunday 12:00-00:45, Monday 12:00-18.00. There will be a teatime break on Saturday & Sunday during sound checks. All timings are approximate.

We make every effort to present the advertised programme but cannot guarantee that artists will perform at any particular time, or at all, and in the event of unforeseen circumstances, we reserve the right to present alternative performers and if necessary, re-programme events or concerts.

Over the years our Open Mic competition has increased in popularity and a chance to make a festival concert appearance in Sabrina Marquee is a real opportunity for all budding artists. The competition is open to festival goers of all ages but is not open to festival artists.

To be eligible to take part you will need tickets covering Saturday and Sunday. The Open Mic venue will have a PA and a sound engineer. You will need to sign up for your 15-min spots at the venue from 10:00-11:00 on Saturday and Sunday. It is not possible to sign up before the festival.

SFF will be running a large number of workshops that cover just about every aspect of the folk tradition. A workshop programme will be posted on the web site later in the year…usually mid-August.

Free showers are available 24hrs a day. Please queue patiently and be as quick as you can so other people can use them and not miss any of the shows. Certain times of the day are busier than others. If you choose peak times you will encounter queues (there are plenty of ‘quiet’ times). Although the showers are connected to the main water supply pressure can be unreliable so please be patient.

Drinking water taps must not be used for washing up dishes or yourselves. Please fill a suitable container and take it back to your tent or caravan. Chemical loo waste (caravan toilets) must be emptied into the Elsan points. Under no circumstances must you clean your toilets with the drinking water taps and do not empty them into the temporary loo blocks – the chemicals don’t mix!

We will be working with the Zero Waste Events team from Cwm Harry again this year to ensure that we maximise recycling at the same time as maintaining a clean and tidy site for everyone. We’ll have a clearly labelled waste separation system in place to enable you to recycle easily and the Zero Waste Events team will be on hand to answer questions and help you.

If you need minor medical ailments dealt with at the festival, we have a high quality first aid response team including paramedics on hand to help. You can access first aid in the building situated right next to gate 2. Alternatively, they can be contacted by any steward with a radio. In an emergency never hesitate to dial 999 from a mobile phone telling the operator that you are on the West Mid Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 2PF.

Shrewsbury railway station is situated in Castle Gates which is only 10/15 mins walk from the festival site. For directions and maps from the station go to our main menu or click here. National Rail enquiries can be contacted on 08457 48 49 50 or go to www.nationalrail.co.uk

The National Express run coaches into Shrewsbury, please call 08705 808080 or go to www.nationalexpress.com

For details of bus routes and times within the county, please call the Shropshire Traveline on 0870 6082608 or contact a Tourist Information Centre.

We are working with www.gocarshare.com to help people share car journeys. It’s a great way to save money if you are driving or to get to the festival on the cheap if you need a lift. It’ll help you cut carbon and as it’s built around Facebook, you can find people who like the same music or who have friends in common. You can add your journey here.

For those of you who bring bicycles, thank you, it helps keep cars off the road and reduces our carbon footprint. There are no specific areas where you can leave bicycles but one side of the festival perimeter is a chain link fence which bicycles can be chained to.

SFF has a reputation for being a family friendly festival with a pleasant atmosphere in which to enjoy music, song and dance. Our security team is here to make sure you stay safe and that our event remains as friendly as ever. To help us, please look after one another and take care of your valuables by keeping them out of site and locked in your car. Please don’t leave valuables in your tent. Lost property should be handed into and collected from our ticket office onsite before you leave the festival. If you have any lost property queries, please email joy@shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk Six weeks after the festival lost property will be taken to a local charity shop.

Ferrets, parrots, rabbits, cats and dogs…we’ve seen them all at SFF but please note while pets are welcome at the festival DOGS are NOT allowed in venues with the exception of assistance dogs. Dogs must always be kept under strict control and on short leads. Always clean up after your pets and don’t let them ‘go’ near our drinking water taps. Free poop bags are available from the campsite wardens. Owners will be responsible for any damage caused by their pets. If your pet does not have a friendly temperament, please don’t bring it!

Hotel and B & B details are available here or from Shrewsbury Visitor Information Centre on 01743 258888 or email visitorinfo@shropshire.gov.uk

There will be a great selection of meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes from around the world including non-spicy British food too. Last year’s caterers offered crepes, goat curry, pierogis, pizzas, salads, veggie tarts, salt beef raclettes, noodles, chipotle chicken, chicken fricassee, bean stew, toasties (the best we’ve ever tasted), Thai meals, pulled pork baps, Mexican wraps, Caribbean jerk chicken, Whitby fish and chips, pie & mash, healthy salads, quality beef burgers, veg platters, full English breakfasts, veggie burgers, sweet and savoury crepes and so much more.

We also have local farm made ice cream, speciality teas, real coffee, juices and smoothies. Moongazing Hare provide four real ale bars stocking all your favourite tipples plus a Prosecco, gin and cocktail bar.

Pomona Grocery (festival shop) will be selling newspapers, eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, milk, tea, coffee, sugar and other staples that make up the camping cook’s larder.

There really should be no need to go hungry or thirsty!

And, of course, you are welcome to bring your own food and drink into the festival.

Off the ground BBQs and braziers are permitted but open fires on the grass are not allowed.

Having a barbecue should be a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. But cooking over hot coals can be hazardous.

Be aware of what you’re doing, it’s easy to be distracted when you have family and friends around you whilst cooking.

Make sure that your barbecue is in good working order.

Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby in case of emergencies.

Make sure your barbecue site is flat and well away from tents and caravans.

Keep children and pets away.

Never leave the barbecue unattended.

Remember your barbeque will become very hot do not move it during operation.

Do not use spirit or petrol for lighting or relighting use only recognised firelighters.

Never put ashes straight into a rubbish bin. If they’re hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire.

Do not use as a source of heat (inside a tent or any enclosed or partially enclosed building) as you run the risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning which can be lethal.

Gas barbecues

Bottled gas barbecues need special care when being turned on and off.

Make sure the tap is turned off before changing the gas cylinder.

Change gas cylinders in the open air.

When you’ve finished cooking, turn off the gas cylinder before the barbecue controls, to ensure any gas in the pipeline is used up.

Gas bottles will be available for sale near the Berwick Bar.

There are no cash machines on site but cash back is available at the bars.

Mobile phones can be charged in the steward’s office on Fri, Sat & Sun 10:00-22:00 and Mon 10:00-16.00. Please bring your own charger. Each charge costs £2 which will be donated to our charity partner Hope House. In 2019 you raised £461.98 – thank you.

Please be aware that we will do our level best to keep your equipment safe, but we can’t be held responsible for any loss or damage.

A free shuttle bus service (Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 18:00) runs every 15/20 mins to take you into town and back. If you walk along the Pig Trough, it will take about 20/30 mins. A bus timetable will be available at Gate 1. Please note buses will not be able to run during our Morris procession in town while the roads are closed.

Ticket holders consent to inclusion in official photographic, visual and audio promotion of the festival. Festival photographers and social media volunteers are easily identifiable – they will be wearing blue tabards.

Our Craft Fair offers all manner of things from semi-precious silver jewellery, children’s books & games, pottery, glassware, hats, bags and shoes etc. Many of the stalls will be offering unique items with a high percentage of craft workers presenting their own handmade products. Roots Records will be selling our artists CDs (you can even get them signed). And for those special treats make sure you visit the music instrument stalls where knowledgeable staff are always on hand to help.

If you are interested in becoming a steward more information is here.

We believe that all third-party images on this site are free of copyright but if you own the rights to any image, please contact us and we’ll remove it immediately.

These terms and conditions are subject to change at any time without prior notice.