Frequently Asked Questions
Ely Folk Festival
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What time do the buses run from?
The shuttle bus will operate between the festival site, city centre & rail station approximately every 30 minutes. Buses will run at the following times: Friday 12.30 to 00.30 (first pick-up from layby on Station Road near Ely rail station) ; Saturday 10.00 to 00.30 ; Sunday 10.30 to 00.30; Monday – a bus will leave the festival site at 10.00 and 12.00 and drop-off at Ely rail station & the city centre.
Who qualifies for the concession price tickets?
Concessions are available for anyone who is over the age of 66 or who is registered as disabled. Proof will be required on site when you collect your ticket.
How can I check lost property from 2025 festival?
Recognise any items you left behind from the photos below? if so, drop an email to queries@elyfolkfestival.co.uk and we’ll try and reunite you with your lost property. As well as what’s in the photos we also have a musical instrument, so if you left one behind again contact us via queries@elyfolkfestival.co.uk
Are the venues seated?
The main stage is called the Peregrine Stage and audience area in front of it will be partly covered this year. You will need go bring your own seat or rug to sit on – please do not place these or block the emergency exit routes or other areas demarcated as keep clear. Kingfisher Stage is in a marquee and hosts ceilidhs, concerts & workshops; it has some seating around the edge and you are welcome to bring in your own fold-up seats for concerts and workshops; limited seating is available in the smaller marquee that hosts the Nightingale Stage laid out in cabaret style.
What time is the first concert on Friday evening?
The first concert on Friday evening starts at 6.45pm on the main (Peregrine) stage.
Can I sign up now to do a short ‘slot’ in the Nightingale tent?
Afraid not, sorry. Sign-up for the session is from 1.30pm on the Friday of the festival. Details on where to sign up will be posted here nearer the festival.
What time do concert performances start and finish?
There are a number of concerts taking place over the festival weekend. Approximate start & finish times for the main concerts are set out below but they can alter at short notice.
Friday evening concerts start at 6.45pm and finish at midnight.
Saturday afternoon concerts start at midday and finish at approximately 5.30pm. Saturday evening concerts start at 6.15pm and finish at midnight.
Sunday afternoon concerts start at 11.30 and finish at approximately 5pm. Sunday evening concerts start at 5pm and finish at approximately 11.30pm.
Please note that the shuttle bus operating between the festival site and Ely over the weekend will run until just after the finish of the last concert on each day.
How far is the site from the town centre?
The festival site is a 5-10 minute car drive and a 50 minute walk from Ely town centre along a footpath that runs alongside the A142, through Stuntney village, as far as the festival site. A free shuttle bus will run approx. every 30 minutes between the festival site, a bus stop on Station Road next to the rail station and the city centre (coach stop on The Gallery next to entrance to the cathedral).
What time can we arrive to pitch tents?
The festival site is open from 11.00am on Friday for campers arriving and setting up. The festival arena will open from 1.00pm on Friday.
Are campervans allowed?
Yes they are!
Are bbqs allowed on the campsites?
Given the high temperatures we currently enjoying in Ely and fire risk to farmland, we won’t be allowing barbecues of any type on the festival site. If you were planning to use one please make alternative arrangements for cooking. Sorry for the inconvenience but we’re sure you understand the reason. Please note that open fires and fire pits are completely banned. Also, a reminder that there’s not much tree cover in the fens (and festival site), so please do come prepared with your sun screen, hats, parasols, water bottles, etc.
Thank you for your cooperation with this guidance; if we become aware of any infringements of the guidance, we will take action immediately.
What information is available about the festival site?
The Festival camp site will open at 11am on Friday 10th July. There’s plenty of room for everyone so please don’t arrive early as it leads to queues on the main road. The postcode is CB7 5TR and the entrance is next to Ben’s Yard. The What3Words code is ///headlight.blip.courage. Remember to look out for our banners!
If you’re not arriving by car, our free shuttle bus will be running again this year between the Station Road lay-by near Ely Railway Station and at the Coach Stop near the Cathedral (the Gallery) to the festival site from 12:30pm on Friday – look out for the Festival signs! Plus there will be two bus trips from the Festival site to the Station Road lay-by on the morning of Monday 12th July.
When you arrive at the festival site, follow directions from our gate stewards to the box office, car park, or to the camping fields if you are camping. When pitching your tent or parking your caravan, please follow directions from stewards on location and spacing between pitches. Once you have unloaded your tent, please move your car to the car park.
The Box Office (for getting your wristbands) will open at 1pm, as will the arena and the bars! Note that this year we will be scanning pre-ordered tickets at the box office, so please have your e-tickets ready for scanning or a printed copy of your e-tickets. There will be music on the main stages from 6:20pm and performances in the Gin Bar and main Star Shade by our lovely stewards from 2:30pm.
Due to the very hot weather it is possible that barbecues may not be allowed so make sure you have alternative cooking arrangements. A final decision will be made nearer the Festival and communicated on our social media and at the Festival site. Please also note that open fires and fire pits and ground level barbecues are completely banned.
If you do bring a charcoal barbecue it must be at least 18 inches / 45cm off the ground and must not be lit within 15m of the boundary or trees. Before disposing of the spent coals they must be completely cold and disposed of in a metal bin located at the primary campsite fire-points marked with a flag. If the fire-point does not have a bin, find one that does.
While walking around the Festival site and Ben’s Yard, please stick to the pedestrian routes for your own safety.
Here is a link to the 2026 festival site layout plan EFF_SitePlan_2026_v6
Are there any rules re bottles / cans of alcohol at the festival
Glass bottles or drinking vessels are not allowed in the festival arena. There are no rules regarding cans. We run our own reasonably priced and well stocked bars on site and of course would encourage you to buy your drinks there.
Do you provide any concessions for students?
No, but students make very good stewards! Check out our stewarding page here.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, we’re dog friendly and welcome well-behaved dogs and their owners. When you arrive on the festival site, you will be asked to register your dog at the box office and will be given a numbered tag to attach to your dog’s collar. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times. Poop bags are available from the Box Office and Control tents and you asked to keep your dog under control and clean up after it while on the festival site. We prefer if you don’t take your dogs into marquees during concerts, but if absolutely necessary, please try to sit at the end of a row if in the main marquee; and in all cases ensure you can easily take your dogs outside if they become noisy, restless, or upset other members of the audience in any way. We have complaints from non-dog lovers every year and the pressure to not allow dogs is considerable so please be considerate and help us to keep our festival dog-friendly.
Can we bring our own fold up chairs into the Marquees?
You are welcome to bring your own fold up chairs but please try not to obscure other people’s view.
When can we sign up to play in the Nightingale Tent?
Performers can sign up in the beer tent from 12 noon on the Saturday. There is a 10-15 minute slot for the Nightingale Tent Best Performer on Sunday evening opening the evening concert on the Peregrine Stage.
What facilities are available for disabled visitors at the festival?
We welcome visitors of all abilities to the festival. Areas for disabled camping and car parking are located close to the festival arena – if you wish to book a disabled camping &/or parking space, let us know by phoning 07763 207603 when you purchase your festival ticket and we will arrange it. When you arrive on the festival site, our stewards will direct you to the camping and parking facilities, and if you would like some help setting up your tent or parking your caravan, please let the stewards know & we’ll arrange it. Disabled toilet & shower facilities are available close to the camping area and festival arena; as is an area for charging mobility scooters; there are also areas set aside for visitors with limited mobility close to the stages (the venue stewards will direct you to these areas). While the festival site is reasonably flat, it is a rough grazing field and uneven in part, so care is required when moving around. See the site plan here. If you have any queries or require any help over the festival weekend, let our stewards know, or come to the festival information point – we’ll be delighted to help. If you have any queries before arriving at the festival, email us at queries@elyfolkfestival.co.uk
Can I take photographs during the performances?
Flash photography is not allowed, except by staff and press. Permitted photography must be taken in such a way as to avoid any disruption or distraction for patrons or performers.
I’m arriving by train, how do I get to the festival site?
The free festival shuttle bus will pick up from a bus layby on Station Road just to the left of the Ely Rail Station car park exit from 12.30 Friday afternoon; buses will leave the festival site for the rail station on Monday morning at 10.00 & 12.00.
Click here for more details including bus times
Is parking allowed alongside camping pitches?
Unfortunately we can’t allow cars on the campsite, due to Fire Regulations and limited camping space. We allow cars on the campsite to unload and then we ask for them to be moved. Parking for campers is however within the main festival site and is not open to the public
Can we use an awning on our caravan?
Yes! no problem.
What time do we need to leave the camping site by on the Monday
The campsite must be cleared by 12 noon on Monday following the festival.
Is a plan of the festival site available?
.Yes there is – EFF_SitePlan_2026