A brief history of power folk
Not long after Joe Broughton took over the Folk Ensemble at Birmingham Conservatoire in 1997, it started its gigging life at home, in Birmingham. As it grew exponentially in membership and reputation, it was soon taking a touring lineup of fifty around the country every year. Even as it expanded further into major festivals and concert halls in the UK and Europe, hometown shows remained (or perhaps became all the more) special events for the band members and their supporters.
After a few years of increasingly cramped Moseley gigs, ‘A Summer Night’s Festival of Power Folk' was coined by members in 2014 - a huge Folk Ensemble party held at The Rainbow in Digbeth.
There followed many raucous years at The Spotted Dog, over the road, as well as some remarkable online efforts during lockdown. All the while, Power Folk welcomed the best of the energetic, uplifting side of folk and roots artists - both well-established and emerging - whilst continuing to be an opportunity for the full, 80ish-piece 'home team' to let rip at absolute full pelt.
2025 saw an exciting and much-needed expansion, with a move to Hockley Social Club. Despite great success, sadly HSC didn't survive as a venue. 2026 sees a return to Digbeth for the 13th edition at the brilliant ‘not another Irish bar’ of Nortons, and is set to be the best yet.
FAQs
What time do doors open?
Doors open at 13:30. The first act is on at 14:00.
Where is the festival and how do I get there?
This year we are at Nortons, in Digbeth, Birmingham. Open in Google Maps.
The closest station is: Birmingham New Street, a short walk away. Parking: There is a choice of pay and display car parks in and around Digbeth, nearby.
Are tickets available on the door?
At this stage, it’s highly unlikely… Power Folk has sold out in advance every year for 12 years!
Is the event family friendly?
Yes! The vast majority of the event is open to children and young people. Under 18's are welcome in the venue until 9pm, as this is the rule of the venue license. If you are under 18 you must leave the venue at 9pm at the latest. Our friendly security team will be monitoring this.
Is the venue accessible?
Norton’s has step-free access and is arranged across one, open plan level. There are designated disabled toilets.
What’s the refund policy?
Refunds will be issued in the case of the event being cancelled.
How do I buy tickets?
Tickets for Power Folk are only available from this website. As a fully independent festival we are able to keep our ticket prices as low as possible by not dealing with any ticket vendors or other intermediaries. This also helps us keep scalpers and touts at bay. As such, we only accept genuine tickets issued by us. Please do not buy tickets from third parties or social media posts.