Herne Bay Folk Festival started in 2023. Herne Bay Festival  asked if a Folk Festival could be introduced to it's month long programme to complement the other activities and in particular to add another music element to match the successful Herne Bay Jazz Festival. Consequently Herne Bay Folk was set up as an initiative to develop awarness and promote Folk music and in particular to establish the Folk Festival. 

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The first Festival in 2023 was organised around 4 venues on a Saturday in July and was incredibly well attended with very positive feedback and calls for another one the following year. Therefore the 2024 Festival was expanded to 7 venues on a single Saturday with even more amazing feedback and the subsequent plan to extend the times and venues even more.

So the 2025 Herne Bay Folk Festival is being held over a weekend with the Saturday around the town as previous but with the added venues at Hampton Bay Park on the edge of Herne Bay to not just provide 2 stages but also allow camping for public and artistes.