About these Folk Groups

Thanks to the likes of Mumford & Sons, folk bands are enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity right now. These bands are ideal for festival style weddings, parties or events. From traditional folk ensembles to modern "new-folk" acts you'll find everything you need right here!

"We booked the Wilderminds for our 40th birthday party as we were impressed by what we saw on their website. We were certainly not disappointed. They were really professional, arrived on time and are lovely friendly people! The music was great, and they got everyone up and dancing. They created a great atmosphere, and we even got to perform ourselves, which the crowd loved! Will definitely book them in future for another party."

Emma's review of The Wilderminds

Ideal for:

Folk bands will be perfect for any event with a vintage or festival theme. In recent years, we've seen a huge rise in the popularity of the "Wedfest". These are usually a mix of outside and indoor events, with big tents or even teepee's. They will involve lots of dance, drink, food and, of course... music!

Folk bands are absolutely perfect for this kind of setting, and are guaranteed to have your guests out of their seat and dancing on the table tops!

When booking Folk Groups:

Folk bands come in many varieties. Some will cover more traditional "jigs and reels" and others will cover more recent material, in a folk style. For this reason, it is important to take a good look at the repertoire of your prospective band, as well as listening to the audio clips they have on their Last Minute Musicians profile.

Some folk bands will require electricity to perform, others will be happy to play acoustically, depending on the setting and the size of the crowd. Always speak to your contact in the band about your plans for where they will perform.

Prices for Folk Groups:

Folk groups can start with as little as two members, but most bands will comprise of at least 4 members - usually a singer/guitarist, double bass player, percussionist and either a banjo or fiddle player. As a 4 piece, they will charge a minimum of £600. If you're looking to keep costs down, try using the "advanced search" feature to find folk groups local to you.

About Folk Music:

Folk music in the UK and US has a long and complicated history and many people have lots of different definitions of what it is. Many pieces of traditional folk music stretch back decades, being passed down orally from generation to generation. Generally accepted to have begun with the Folk revival of the 20th century, modern folk music has touched many areas of popular culture.

Though it had its beginnings with artists like Woody Guthrie in the 30's and 40's, folk music reached its zenith in the 1960's, with US artists like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan and in the UK, with songwriters like Donovan. Many songwriters would touch on subjects that were political, and the term "protest music" was often associated with them. Throughout the 1970s, folk music continued find popularity through artists like Joni Mitchell, Harry Chapin, and John Denver. The latter would go on to be described as "among the most beloved entertainers of his era".

Recently, folk music in the UK has enjoyed a big revival through the likes of Mumford & Sons, Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver combining traditional folk instrumentation and indie-rock songwriting style.

The Folk Groups featured on this page are all members of the Last Minute Musicians UK entertainment directory. Use the refine section at the top of this page to find a folk group close to you for any event. Simply choose a county or enter a post code into the "available in" box to refine the listings to your local area. Click the "visit listing" button to see the full profiles of the individual folk bands. With over 3300 active listings you are sure to find the perfect entertainer, musician, band or entertainment service to make your wedding or event just perfect. Don`t forget you can use our online chat (below) to get instant help with your booking.