Festival-goers, book your beds!

The Ganda Boys at the Swaledale Festival

If you're thinking of coming to one of North Yorkshire's many world-class festivals, we suggest you book your accommodation as soon as possible! Cottage, B&B, hotel, caravan site, or camping field ... they all fill up fast.

2025 festivals in or near Richmond include:

​2 - 5 May: Richmond MayFest - MayFest takes place over the early May Bank Holiday, with loads of great music (which could include medieval bagpipers, jazz bands, folk singers and more), dancing and storytelling in and around Richmond Castle and Market Place. Many events are totally free. There are workshops and have-a-go opportunities galore, and children are sure to be kept busy and entertained.

24 May - 7 June: the Swaledale Festival - a long-established two-week festival of music (classical, jazz and folk feature strongly), guided walks, and talks, including the famous Reeth Lecture. Already confirmed for this year are Royal Northern Sinfonia, comedian Mark Steel, and twenty or more high-profile performers and entertainers. The walks will range from gentle ambles to more strenuous outings in the lovely Yorkshire Dales. Many visitors come from abroad and book for an entire week's stay - so don't delay!

19 - 28 September: Books and Boots, the Richmond Walking & Book Festival. Another long-established event, this, combining Dales walks at one of the best times of the year with talks and lectures in the evenings. The talks tend to be so interesting and entertaining that even the most exhausted walker will stay awake. Again, many visitors book themselves into Richmond's hotels for up to a week. (Stop Press! We hear that the historian David Olusoga is a confirmed speaker.)

To learn more about these festivals, including their evolving 2025 programmes, click the links above.

​To find somewhere to stay, visit our Accommodation guide. Move fast!