Compass Festival

About Compass Festival

For its third edition, Compass Festival 2026 returns to Folkestone's Creative Quarter as a multi-venue indie music event from 27-29 November 2026.

The first Compass in 2024 was a free afternoon run on donations. The format now sits across ticketed rooms, with a wristband covering all shows in participating venues for the selected day or days.

Compass Music registered as a Community Interest Company in June 2025. Its music policy runs through indie, alt pop, folk, post-punk, indie rock, live electronic and singer-songwriters, with independent artists playing original music.

Who Is It For?

The audience is discovery-minded: indie and alternative-music fans, grassroots supporters and older teens or adults.

Entry is 14+. Under-18s need an 18+ adult with them, and a couple of small venues only allow under-18s to stay until 9pm.

The Venue and Site

The Workshop at 32-40 Tontine Street is the Festival Hub and wristband exchange. Participating Creative Quarter venues sit a few minutes' walk apart.

Room capacities run from 30 to 330, so access is managed venue by venue. When a room is full, the system moves to one-in, one-out.

Folkestone Central Station is about 15 minutes' walk from the Creative Quarter and harbour area.

• Rail: Folkestone Central Station.
• Road: M20 junction 13, then Cherry Garden Avenue and signs to the Harbour.
• Parking: limited parking behind Quarterhouse, with nearby car parks at Tram Road, Payers Park and Harbour car park.
• Nearby cities: Canterbury is 15.3 miles away, Dover is 14.2 miles away and London is 69.2 miles away.