Launch of the 2026 Kirkbymoorside Gateway to the Moors Music Festival

After the success of the inaugural Kirkbymoorside Gateway to the Moors Music Festival last summer, plans are well underway to repeat it again in 2026, bigger and better! Still encompassing and celebrating ‘Yorkshire Day’ as the focal point of the festival, the 2026 dates are Friday 31^st July - Sunday 2^nd August.  Events will take place across town centre venues and Church Street, and, as with last year’s festival, will be a mixture of ticketed, ‘for donations’ or free events with something for everyone.

There will be more dance this year, with both Bollywood and Line Dance (back by popular demand) classes, Morris Dance sides performing, and a Ceilidh. Also back by popular demand for the Saturday night are the Maestros, who last year performed as the ‘Bootleg 60’s’ and gave us an unforgettable night of live music that had everyone up and dancing all night. This year they will perform the music of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and the evening is bound to sell out.

Another likely sell-out is our own amazing Kirkby Soul playing live on the Friday night.

Two other ‘must-see’ acts are John Drakes (once more back by popular demand) and the wonderful ‘Boo Hewerdine’, an international star performing at the festival as a special favour to the organisers. John is supported by Lost in Eve, a female singer songwriter duo with wonderful harmonies who some were lucky enough to see at Rural Acoustic Music (RAM) in December last year. Boo is supported by singer songwriter Tymisha who has an incredible voice, making it an unforgettable evening.

Saturday in the Methodist Church is a day dedicated to folk/ acoustic/traditional music, starting off with ukulele and then bodhrán lessons, then two brilliant duos, Mills and Farrell and The Browns and then local folk singer Nessy Williamson (who many enjoyed last year when she performed in the Moorside Coffee House). To finish the day off will be the Celtic Music Circle followed by a ‘sing-around’ where anyone can play.

Over the weekend, the White Swan is showcasing some of our own fabulous Kirkbymoorside acts, including Alkelda, Spanking Monkeys, Diva Strop, the Moorside 3, the Infernos, Grayson and Jacobs and the Cover Ups.

On Sunday morning there will be a 2-hour children’s disco party in the Memorial Hall, which due to the generous sponsorship of Little Years Nursery, will be free. There will be Country with the Howard Hebron Band in the Memorial Hall on Sunday afternoon, followed by the return of the Jackhare Ceilidh Band. Downstairs in the Memorial Hall will be the Acoustic Bar all weekend, with lots of wonderful acts performing, free entry and specially brewed KirkbymoorCidar on sale. There will other free performance in pubs and cafes across the town.

We are delighted to have the return to All Saints of the Weighton Waytes Choir on Sunday afternoon, an extraordinarily moving choir that sings from the sacred to the contemporary.

Our incredible Kirkbymoorside Town Brass Band will play outside around midday on Saturday and, as a stunning finale to the festival on Sunday Evening in the James Holt Concert Hall, they will be joined by singers and musicians to perform the first ever ‘Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts BRASS Band’.

Tickets are already on sale for some events at Eventbrite and more information and links to ticketing is available on the town website: https://www.kirkbymoorsidetown.co.uk/kirkbymoorside-music-festival-2026.

The purpose of the festival is not just to hear some great live music and have fun, but to promote the town and boost the local economy, and it is hoped that local shops and business will join in with window displays, special offers and their own promotion of the festival and their business. Anyone interested in helping out with the festival as stewards, technicians, bar staff or venue set-up / supervision should email Festival Director Jean Illingworth at kirkbymoorside.town@outlook.com.