If you fancy a weekend of folk music without straying far from Brighton, the Ouse Valley Folk Festival is worth a look. It lands at The Sidings in Newhaven on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August, and the whole thing is built around the musical heritage of the Ouse Valley, with a programme that mixes traditional folk, contemporary takes and things that sit somewhere in between. It is an intimate, community-led festival rather than a big-ticket event, which is a fair part of its appeal.
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The opening night on Friday runs from 6pm to 10.30pm and sets the tone with contemporary folk and a bit of boundary-pushing performance, with Goblin Band and Bloody Bones leading the way and DJs keeping things going into the evening. It is designed as a gentle way into the weekend, leaning on tradition while looking firmly ahead. Saturday is the bigger day, running from 1pm through to 10.30pm, and that is where the programme really opens up. The headline draw is Paul Hartnoll, one half of Orbital, bringing his Folk Horror Electro Techno Disco Roadshow, which shares the bill with Ouse Valley Morris. Around them you get Nick Pynn and Kate Daisy Grant, The Kites, Rob Abbott, Pemma and the newly added Golden Samphire Band, plus performances from members of Folk Against Fascism.
It is not all on stage, though. Throughout the day there is storytelling, dancing and family-friendly animal mask-making with Stealthy Rabbit, so it works as much for a family afternoon as for a serious folk night. The mix of traditional music, contemporary folk, storytelling and dancing is what gives the festival its character, and it is a good way to catch a glimpse of how folk culture is kept alive and evolving in the South Downs.
On the practical side, the site is easy to reach from Brighton. The Sidings sits about 200 metres from Newhaven Town railway station, and the 12 and 12a buses run between Brighton and Eastbourne and stop nearby, though it is worth noting that the 12x and 13x only stop at Newhaven town centre and not at the station. There is free but limited parking right in front of The Sidings, with more available a short walk across the bridge at the Dacre Road and West Quay car parks. Under-14s need to be accompanied, and tickets are sold as day or weekend passes, with concession rates available, so it is worth sorting yours in advance rather than turning up on the day.
Whether you have been following the folk scene for years or you have never seen a morris side in person, it is an easy weekend to drop into. The riverside setting at The Sidings adds to the atmosphere, and the programme is thoughtfully put together to be welcoming to everyone, not just the regulars. It is a small, well-curated celebration of one of the country's most enduring musical traditions, and it sits right on Brighton's doorstep.
Published Date
14 August 2026
