A folk festival celebrates traditional

folk craft A handicraft, sometimes more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft or handmade, is any of a wide variety of types of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by one’s hand or by using only simple, non-automated re ...

s and

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

. This list includes folk festivals worldwide, except those with only a partial focus on folk music or arts. Folk festivals may also feature folk dance or ethnic foods.

Handicraft A handicraft, sometimes more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft or handmade, is any of a wide variety of types of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by one’s hand or by using only simple, non-automated re ...

ing has long been exhibited at such events and festival-like gatherings, as it has its roots in the

rural crafts Rural crafts refers to the traditional crafts production that is carried on, simply for everyday practical use, in the agricultural countryside. Once widespread and commonplace, the survival of some rural crafts is threatened.Mapping Heritage Craft' ...

. Like folk art, handicraft output often has cultural, political, and/or religious significance. Folk art encompasses art produced from an

indigenous culture Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

or by

peasants A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...

or other laboring

tradespeople A tradesman, tradeswoman, or tradesperson is a skilled worker that specializes in a particular trade (occupation or field of work). Tradesmen usually have work experience, on-the-job training, and often formal vocational education in contrast to ...

. In contrast to

fine art In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...

, folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic, and is often sold at festivals by tradespeople or practicing amateurs.West, Shearer (general editor), ''The Bullfinch Guide to Art History'', page 440, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, United Kingdom, 1996. As at folk festivals, such art and handicraft may also appear at

historical reenactment Historical reenactment (or re-enactment) is an educational or entertainment activity in which mainly amateur hobbyists and history enthusiasts dress in historic uniforms or costumes and follow a plan to recreate aspects of a historical event or ...

s and events such as

Renaissance fair A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire or Renaissance festival is an outdoor gathering open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which purportedly recreates a historical setting for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent the ...

Asia

Bangladesh

Dhaka International Folk Fest

India

* Gavari - Sacred Dance Drama Festival

Israel

Jacob's Ladder Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28). The significance of th ...

Europe

Europeade Europeade is the largest festival of European folk culture, held in a different European country each year. The last Europeade was held in Turku, Finland in 2017. The year before that it was held in Namur, Belgium in 2016. The first Europe ...

(held each year in a different European country)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ilidža Folk Music Festival The Ilidža Folk Music Festival ( bs, Festival narodne muzike Ilidža / Фестивал народне музике Илиџa) is the oldest living and premier folk music festival in the Former Yugoslavia. It is held annually in Ilidža, Sarajevo, ...

Ilidža International Children's Folklore Festival The Ilidža International Children's Folklore Festival ( bs, Međunarodni festival dječijeg folklora Ilidža / Међународни фестивал дјечијег фолклора Илиџa) is an annual cultural festival held in Ilidža, Sar ...

Belgium

Boombal Boombal (pl. Boombals) is a relatively recent phenomenon of folk dance parties in Belgium, originating in the French bal folk. The partygoers indulge in pair, ring, line, and string dances such as the waltz, polka, An Dro, etc. adapted from the ...

Festival

Bulgaria

Stara planina fest Balkan folk

Denmark

Tønder Festival Tønder Festival is an annual folk music festival in Tønder, Denmark. It is held on the last weekend of August. It was founded in 1974. The first festival took place in 1975. The festival is one of the most prominent festivals for traditional an ...

Estonia

Viljandi Folk Festival __NOTOC__ The Viljandi Folk Music Festival is a music festival in Estonia with a central focus on European folk music. It is traditionally held during the last weekend of July, when the otherwise quiet city of Viljandi is completely transformed as ...

Finland

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival Kaustinen Folk Music Festival ( fi, Kaustisen kansanmusiikkijuhlat), celebrated yearly in July in Kaustinen, Finland, is the biggest folk music and dance festival in the Nordic countries. It was first celebrated in 1968. The festival originated in ...

France

Festival Interceltique de Lorient __NOTOC__ The (French), Emvod Ar Gelted An Oriant (Breton) or Inter-Celtic Festival of Lorient in English, is an annual Celtic festival, located in the city of Lorient, Brittany, France. It was founded in 1971 by . This annual festival takes ...

* Rencontres Internationales de Luthiers et Maîtres-Sonneurs

Germany

Festival-Mediaval XIV, "Folk of the World"

Ireland

Temple Bar TradFest TradFest Temple Bar is an annual music and culture festival that takes place in late January in Dublin, Ireland. Founded by the Temple Bar Company, a not-for-profit organisation who work on behalf of businesses in the cultural quarter of Temple ...

Lithuania

Kaziuko mugė Kaziuko mugė or Saint Casimir's Fair is a large annual folk arts and crafts fair in Vilnius, Lithuania, dating to the beginning of the 17th century. The fair is traditionally held in city's markets and streets on the Sunday nearest to 4 March (Fea ...

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ; see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Lithuania, with a population of 592,389 (according to the state register) or 625,107 (according to the municipality of Vilnius). The population of Vilnius's functional urb ...

* Mėnuo Juodaragis,

Zarasai Zarasai () is a city in northeastern Lithuania, surrounded by many lakes and rivers: to the southwest of the city is Lake Zarasas, to the north – Lake Zarasaitis, to the southeast – Lake Baltas, and the east – Lake Griežtas. Lakes Zarasai ...

Parbėg laivelis Parbėg laivelis is an international folk festival in Klaipėda, Lithuania. The festival is held once every two years, in June or July. Its name Parbėg laivelis could be translated as ''Little ship is coming back''. 2006 edition Parbėg laivelis 2 ...

, Klaipeda

Netherlands

* Castlefest

Russia

* Empty Hills,

Kaluga Oblast Kaluga Oblast (russian: Калу́жская о́бласть, translit=Kaluzhskaya oblast) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Kaluga. The 2021 Russian Census found a population of 1,069,904. G ...

Grushinsky festival Grushinsky festival (russian: Грушинский фестиваль) is an annual Russian bard song festival that was established in 1968. It takes place near the city of Samara, on the Mastryukovo lakes. The festival takes its name from Valer ...

, near Samara

Spain

Interceltic Festival of Avilés The Interceltic Festival of Avilés (FIA) is a summer arts festival held annually in Avilés, and the surrounding area in Asturias, Spain since 1997. The festival is held to promote the cultural traditions, and developments, of the Celtic natio ...

Interceltic Festival of Morrazo The Interceltic Festival of Morrazo is a folk music festival celebrated in August in Moaña in Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. The purpose of the festival is to promote and develop traditional folk music, highlinting Celtic music and new tendenci ...

Ortigueira's Festival of Celtic World Ortigueira, a seaport and borough in County Ferrolterra (A Coruña) in Galicia, celebrates its patron saint day -Saint Martha of Ortigueira's Day- on 29 July. Held during Saint Martha's day, Ortigueira's Festival of Celtic World (Festival Inter ...

United Kingdom

Beverley Folk Festival The Beverley Folk Festival is a three-day celebration of folk music, art, comedy and spoken word held in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was first organised in 1983 by the White Horse Folk Club and grew considerably over thirty y ...

Cambridge Folk Festival The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix o ...

Celtic Connections The Celtic Connections festival started in 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland, and has since been held every January. Featuring over 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late night sessions and workshops, the festival focuses on the roots of tra ...

* England's Medieval Festival *

Edinburgh Folk Festival Ceilidh Culture is an annual festival held in Edinburgh, Scotland which incorporates folk music, song, dance and storytelling. There is currently a month-long programme of events which take place around Easter time. The current format first too ...

Fairport's Cropredy Convention Fairport's Cropredy Convention (formerly Cropredy Festival) is an annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention and held on the edge of the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. The fest ...

* FolkEast Festival *

The Green Man Festival The Green Man Festival is an independent music, science and arts festival held annually in mid-August in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. Green Man has evolved into a 25,000 capacity week long event, showcasing predominantly live music (in particular ...

Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival The Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival (IVFDF) is the longest running folk festival in the United Kingdom, having been hosted from 1951 to the present day (2022). It differs from most other festivals in two respects: it moves location every year, ...

* Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival * Shetland Folk Festival *

Shrewsbury Folk Festival Shrewsbury Folk Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England. It takes place over four days on and around the UK Late Summer bank holiday weekend (usually th ...

* Sidmouth Folk Festival *

Soma Festival The Soma Festival ( sa, सोम, or ''sóma'', meaning ''drink of the Gods'', see Soma (drink); ) is an annual music, arts, and cultural festival. The festival includes concerts, musical performances, well-being activities, art exhibitions and ...

Wickham Festival Wickham Festival is a four-day music event that takes place in the village of Wickham, Hampshire, England. Wickham hosts live music and comedy across four stages, as well as food stalls, craft stalls, real ale and cider bars and children's ente ...

* Wimborne Folk Festival

North America

Honduras

* Encuentro Folklórico Nacional ''El Grande de Grandes''

Canada

Calgary Folk Music Festival The Calgary Folk Music Festival (also known as "Calgary Folk Fest") is held in late July each year at Prince's Island Park, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. July 2022 is the Festival's 43rd edition. The four-day Calgary Folk Music Festival annually featu ...

Canmore Folk Music Festival The Canmore Folk Music Festival is an annual three-day outdoor music event held the first weekend of August in Canmore, Alberta, Canada, established in 1978. Though the town of Canmore has a population of less than 14,000, the festival averages a ...

* Edmonton Folk Music Festival *

Winnipeg Folk Festival The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a nonprofit charitable organization with an annual summer folk music festival held in Birds Hill Provincial Park, near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The festival features a variety of artists and music from around the ...

(Birds Hill) *

Celtic Colours Celtic Colours International Festival is a Celtic music festival held annually in October in communities on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. First held in 1997, the festival has featured musicians from the Celtic world and attracted vi ...

(Cape Breton) *

Stan Rogers Folk Festival The Stan Rogers Folk Festival, informally known as Stanfest, is an annual music festival held in Canso, Nova Scotia. Established in 1997 in honour of the late Canadian folk singer and songwriter Stan Rogers, the festival bills itself as "Canada ...

(Canso) * CityFolkFestival (Ottawa) * Emerald Music Festival *

Hillside Festival The Hillside Festival is an annual three-day, five-stage (including one kids' stage) summer festival occurring in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, hosting musicians, spoken word artists, workshops and more. The Hillside Festival occurs in late July on Gue ...

(Guelph) * Home County Folk Festival (London) *

Mariposa Folk Festival Mariposa Folk Festival is a Canadian music festival founded in 1961 in Orillia, Ontario. It was held in Orillia for three years before being banned because of disturbances by festival-goers. After being held in various places in Ontario for a f ...

(Orillia) * Mill Race Festival of Traditional Folk Music (Cambridge) *

Northern Lights Festival Boréal Northern Lights Festival Boréal is an annual summer music festival in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. It is one of Canada's oldest music festivals in continuous operation, having been staged every year since 1972 until the Covid-19 pandemic.

(Sudbury) * Red Rock Folk Festival (Red Rock) * Regina Folk Festival * Summerfolk Music and Crafts Festival (Owen Sound) *

TD Canada Trust Sunfest Sunfest is an annual Canadian festival of food, culture, art, and music that takes place in London, Ontario, Canada, in July. The festival venue is Victoria Park and is typically held the weekend after Canada Day Canada Day (french: Fête d ...

(London)

United States

Alaska

Alaska Folk Festival The Alaska Folk Festival is an annual celebration of the music of Alaska, the Northwestern United States, and Canada, established in 1975. It is organised by The Alaska Folk Festival Inc., which is a non-profit membership organisation dedicated to ...

California

* Big Sur Folk Festival

District of Columbia

Smithsonian Folklife Festival The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, launched in 1967, is an international exhibition of living cultural heritage presented annually in the summer in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is held on the National Mall for two weeks around the F ...

Florida

Florida Folk Festival Florida Folk Festival is a long-running annual folk music festival in Hamilton County, Florida. It began in 1953. Thelma Boltin was an organizer for the festival. The festival has also featured presentations in the Mikasuki language. References ...

Indiana

Feast of the Hunters' Moon Feast of the Hunters’ Moon is a weekend festival and historical reenactment held on a weekend in October since 1968, at the present-day site of Fort Ouiatenon, a replica 18th century French military and trading post near West Lafayette, Indian ...

Maine

American Folk Festival The American Folk Festival is an annual folk festival A folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music. This list includes folk festivals worldwide, except those with only a partial focus on folk music or arts. Folk festival ...

Massachusetts

Lowell Folk Festival The Lowell Folk Festival is the longest-running, and second-largest, free folk festival in the United States. Only Seattle's Northwest Folklife is larger, both in attendance and number of performance stages. It is made up of three days of tradition ...

New England Folk Festival The New England Folk Festival is an annual weekend festival of traditional dance and music. It takes place in the Boston, Massachusetts region each spring. It is conducted by the New England Folk Festival Association. Both the festival and the ass ...

Montana

Montana Folk Festival Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...

New Jersey

* New Jersey Folk Festival

New York

Falcon Ridge Folk Festival The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival and dance festival held at Dodds Farm in Hillsdale, New York. History The first festival was a two-day event in 1988, held at a ski slope. In 1991, the festival mo ...

Old Songs Festival The Old Songs Festival is an American annual folk music festival and dance festival held at Altamont Fairgrounds in Altamont, New York. History In 1981, the first Old Songs Festival was held at Tawasentha Park in Guilderland, New York. It grew ...

North Carolina

Folkmoot USA Folkmoot USA, The State International Festival of North Carolina, is an international folk festival held since 1984 in Waynesville, North Carolina and surrounding communities. During its history, the two-week event has featured around 8000 performe ...

North Dakota

Norsk Høstfest Norsk Høstfest (Norwegian language: "''Norwegian Autumn Festival''") is an annual festival held each fall in Minot, North Dakota, US. It is North America's largest Scandinavian festival. History The event is held on the North Dakota State Fair gr ...

Oklahoma

Woody Guthrie Folk Festival The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival is held annually in mid-July to commemorate the life and music of Woody Guthrie. The festival is held on the weekend closest to July 14 - the date of Guthrie's birth - in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma. Da ...

Oregon

* Sisters Folk Festival

Pennsylvania

* Flood City Music Festival *

Philadelphia Folk Festival The Philadelphia Folk Festival is a folk music festival held annually at Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. The four-night, three-day festival, which is produced and run by the non-profit Philadelphia Fo ...

Pittsburgh Folk Festival The Pittsburgh Folk Festival is a large multicultural celebration of diverse international ethnic heritages, which has been held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since 1956. The festival's early mission statement was described in May 1959, as follows ...

Rhode Island

Newport Folk Festival Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. It was one of the first modern music festivals in America, and remains a foca ...

Tennessee

The Americana Folk Festival The Americana Folk Festival (2004-2009) (AFF) was an art and music event held at Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson, Tennessee (near Nashville). The event featured folk music of various genres, particularly jazz, Americana, blues, and rock. Hi ...

Texas

Kerrville Folk Festival The Kerrville Folk Festival is a music festival held for 18 consecutive days in the late spring/early summer at Quiet Valley Ranch near Kerrville, Texas. The Kerrville Folk Festival was founded in 1972 by the husband-wife team of Rod Kennedy ...

Traveling

* National Folk Festival

Washington

Northwest Folklife Northwest Folklife is an independent 501(c)(3) arts organization that celebrates the multigenerational arts, cultures, and traditions of a global Pacific Northwest. The Northwest Folklife Festival is an annual festival of ethnic, folk, and tradit ...

Wisconsin

* Great River Folk Fest * Holiday Folk Fair * Mile of Music * Oshkosh International Folk Festival

Oceania

Australia

* National Folk Festival *

Woodford Folk Festival The Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music and cultural festival held near the semi-rural town of Woodford, north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia. Every year ap ...

New Zealand

Whare Flat Folk Festival Whare Flat Folk Festival is a music festival held annually over four days each New Year at Waiora Scout Camp in Whare Flat, located in the Silver Stream valley some northwest of the city centre of Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand. It has ...

- held over the New Year period at

Whare Flat Whare Flat is a locality some 15 km to the northwest of Dunedin city centre, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located at a widening of the Silver Stream's valley amid the foothills of the Silverpeaks. Whare Flat is the location of a s ...

near

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

; run by Dunedin's New Edinburgh Folk Club