The Guinness Tent at Cambridge Folk Festival

Cambridge Live is delighted that Guinness has continued it’s long running association with Cambridge Folk Festival 2016 – the Guinness Tent is back once again!

Guinness is the perfect partner for Cambridge Folk Festival, we share a sense of tradition, craft and character. We both attract people who embrace their roots and appreciate a perfect pint of the black stuff! The Guinness Tent has long been an important part of our festival – they aren’t just sponsors; but are part of the folk family.  We’re improving the quality of the bar this year to provide a more comfortable, pleasant space whilst preserving the magical atmosphere of the Guinness Tent.

The History of the Guinness Tent

The tent has been a part of the folk festival for many years and The Guinness club members still flock to Cambridge Folk Festival every year to get a pint of their favourite stuff. Back in the day, musicians from all over the country were given free tickets and told to bring their instruments to play inside the tent. It soon became an impromptu stage with music being played from midday all the way through to midnight. On many occasions, artists from the main line up would join the revellers in the tent, playing impromptu sessions with other musicians and regular festival goers. On one of the many years The Dubliners played the Folk Festival they were late for their main stage performance because they were still in the Guinness tent after an afternoon drinking with The Guinness Club members!

This year

Although some things have changed over the years, there is still a tradition of artists making the occasional guest appearance. Last year, Passenger made a special guest appearance to perform an acoustic busking set. This year there may be a special performance for you to look out for... though we're not giving anything away yet! We'll also be offering an exciting array of entertainment including a number of Irish music sessions across the weekend including some sessions by Sligo Live.