An Introduction to the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival

The History of Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival

Middlewich is a small, historic market town in Cheshire with an industrial heritage that centres around salt. It lies at the junction between the Trent and Mersey Canal and a section of the Shropshire Union Canal, making it a popular place to visit for travellers enjoying a canal barge holiday.

The Middlewich Boat Festival centres on the Trent and Mersey Canal and celebrates the town’s industrial heritage in which narrow boats were used to move coal and other raw materials in the town for the production of salt. The idea for a festival was first dreamed up in 1989 when groups planning separate folk and canal boat festivals came together to launch a unique idea for a celebration of folk music and canal barge history, with the first event taking place in June 1990.

It’s estimated that over 30,000 people visit the town each year and around 400 narrowboats over the festival weekend. The festival was originally organised by a group of people called the ‘Middlewich Pains’ and was taken over by the local council when the organisation became too big to handle!

It is now firmly established on the folk circuit and is said to be one of the best folk festivals in the England. There’s a strong community spirit and focus on uplifting local performers and traders at the event, which means the atmosphere is always very joyful and welcoming.

Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival Highlights and Attractions

In terms of what’s on the lineup for the folk and boat festival in Middlewich, you’ll find specific details on the official website every year. But the main attractions are the live music performances, a floating market of canal boats, and a great selection of local food and drink.

You can wander throughout the town of Middlewich over the course of the Festival (held over a weekend) and there will be something going on almost everywhere.

The highlight of course is the canal itself, the Trent and Mersey. This waterway runs alongside the town and during the festival it will be filled with picturesque boats, all offering wares of some kind or another, from baked potatoes to arts and craft.

There will be lively music that gets your toes tapping with a mix of local folk to the more modern rock you can hear from the live bands in the pubs lining the waterside! The lineup usually includes a range of local bands and impressive tribute acts, with folk music prioritised, but many other genres feature across the weekend as well.

Entertainment and activity at Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival

There are events and entertainment all over the town, with the main venues for the boating festival being the Big Lock and Kings Lock, which are public houses on the Trent and Mersey Canal. You can also catch Morris Dancing displays, a Ceilidh night, stalls, workshops and celebration of the rich heritage of Middlewich.

There is a big music event on the main stage for the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, which is located on Market Field in Middlewich.Previous acts have featured all kinds of folk artists alongside tribute performers that bring classic rock and pop to the event, which is always a hit with visitors.

There are several markets across the town, including the Wheelock Street Market, which as stalls, and food and drink, and of course the famous floating market on the canal itself. Salinae Field also hosts a market offering everything from food and drinks to clothing and toys.

The Floating Market normally runs from the Kings Lock pub all the way along the canal side to the centre of town and features narrowboats which sell all sorts of craft goods. This is a big attraction for canal barge fans, with many impressive boats from decades past decked out in finery to mark the event.

Entertainment can be found across many streets with various local businesses joining in the fun. There is a parade which will make its way through the town, and pass through Wheelock Market to the canal often finishing at the main festival site where performances and displays take place alongside music.

Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival Venues

The Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival doesn’t just take place along the Trent and Mersey Canal, although this is one of the best places to feel connected to the event’s history and enjoy admiring an impressive collection of river vessels.

There is normally entertainment and events at the following places in Middlewich for the Boat and Folk Festival: 

• The White Bear on Wheelock Street
• The Newton Brewery on Webbs Lane
• The Kinderton on Kinderton Street
• The Big Lock on Webbs Lane
• The Legion on Lewin Street
• The Kings Lock on Booth Lane
• The Turnpike on Warmingham Lane
• The Cheshire Cheese on Lewin Street
• The Kings Arms on Queen Street

Previous Folk and Boat Festivals

This folk festival in Middlewich has been running since 1990 and is now highly regarded on the folk circuit with visitors coming into the town from all over the UK.

For the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival 2024, the main stage entertainment on Market Field kicked off with Niqi Brown’s Tina Turner tribute act, followed by Quo-incidence, and topping the bill, the fabulous 1970s rock and rollers, Showaddywaddy. There was also a new dedicated folk music stage at the town’s football club on the John McAteer Stage, with performances on Saturday and Sunday daytime.

Visitor information

If you wish to stay in Middlewich for the festival, then early booking is recommended. The event has been growing in size and popularity for years, which means that accommodation gets snapped up very quickly as soon as the official dates are announced.

Camping has been available at Middlewich Town Football Club for the last couple of years, with space for up to 60 tents and 25 campervans. Campers have access to toilets and showers, a bar, and even a cooked breakfast, with tickets in (understandably) very high demand!

If you are staying on a Black Prince narrowboat then you will be able to moor up just outside the town along the Trent and Mersey Canal. Canalside pitches in the town itself will be reserved for the trader’s boats that make up the floating market and flotilla.

How to Book a Holiday to Middlewich

If you’d like to attend the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival, staying on a canal boat with Black Prince is a great way to visit the town and get into the spirit of the event’s history. To book a canal boat holiday to Middlewich online, choose Acton Bridge as your starting base location and choose a minimum of a 7-night holiday duration.

You can also call our reservations team at +44 (0)1527 575115 to find out more about canal boat hire in Cheshire and how to book a trip. Find out more about the canal boat hire base in Cheshire on our website.