Southwell Music Festival fills the Minster town with music all year round

Every August Bank Holiday weekend, the small historic town of Southwell, on the edge of Sherwood Forest, becomes one of the most rewarding places in the Midlands to hear live music. Southwell Music Festival has grown from a bright idea into a much-loved fixture, and in 2026 it is extending its programme well beyond the summer.

The festival was the idea of Marcus Farnsworth, a former Head Chorister at Southwell Minster who grew up in the area and is now an award-winning international baritone. He developed the idea in 2012, and the first festival took place in August 2014. By 2016 it had stretched to six days, and in 2019 the festival marquee went up for the first time.

At its heart is Southwell Minster, where performances are centred with the permission of the Dean and Chapter. Concerts also take place in the State Chamber of the Archbishop's Palace, refurbished with a substantial grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The aims are generous ones: to celebrate classical music, raise the profile of Southwell and its medieval Minster, and encourage local musicians, especially young people. The festival's young Vocal Apprentices are part of that mission.

The programme mixes choral, orchestral and chamber music with jazz and folk, performed by professional soloists, singers and musicians, and the festival now draws audiences totalling more than 3,500. The 2026 festival opened on Friday 28 August.

This autumn brings something new. The Palace Sessions, a fresh concert series in the State Chamber, held its first concert in October 2026, and the annual Christmas Celebration concert returns in December. The festival's patrons include Harry Christophers CBE, Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and John Gilhooly CBE.

Southwell Music Festival is a registered charity, and its friends, sponsors and volunteer hosts help keep tickets flowing and musicians performing. The 2027 festival will again take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with programme details due in early 2027.

Tickets for upcoming concerts are available through the festival website or by calling the box office on 01636 330014.