Lights Out Events keeps folk music thriving in Oswestry with a Celtic Christmas to come

Folk music has a loyal home in Oswestry, and much of that is down to Lights Out Events. Organiser Chris Woods has spent the past year bringing some of the UK's most respected folk and acoustic artists to intimate venues in the town under the Oswestry Folk banner.

The 2026 season opened on Friday 20 March at Oswestry Cricket Club, where the popular acoustic duo Sound of the Sirens played as part of their spring tour. The pair are known for powerful harmonies and passionate songwriting, and are considered one of the hardest-working folk acts in the UK.

On Sunday 26 April the internationally respected guitarist and singer-songwriter Claude Bourbon brought his blend of blues, jazz, folk and classical guitar to the setting of Hermon Chapel on Chapel Street. Then on Sunday 31 May the celebrated folk artist Joe Topping, a favourite with Oswestry audiences, returned to Oswestry Cricket Club.

Tickets for the spring concerts ranged from £14 to £17.50 plus booking fee. The programme built on a successful 2025, which included Virginia Kettle's Rolling Folk at The Stonehouse Oval, the cricket club's ground, in November.

The spring dates were announced just before Christmas 2025, with Chris sending festive wishes to everyone in Oswestry Folk. "We're delighted to be starting the New Year with such a strong and varied line-up, and there's much more to follow as 2026 unfolds," he said. Concerts are held in well-loved local venues, giving audiences the chance to hear touring musicians up close.

The big date still to come is a festive one. World-renowned guitarist and melodeon player Tim Edey has been booked to bring his Celtic Christmas Tour to Oswestry in December 2026, which Lights Out Events describes as a major highlight of its year.

The organisers say they are committed to keeping quality folk music alive in Oswestry and the wider Shropshire area, and that community support is vital to the continued success of live music in the region.

Tickets for Lights Out Events concerts are sold through TicketSource under Oswestry Folk, where details of the Tim Edey concert will be published once announced.