Folklore is a small, characterful cocktail bar on Folkestone's Old High Street, mixing award-winning drinks with a genuinely eclectic programme of live music, DJ nights and comedy. The monthly open mic is hosted by Joe Himbury and calls for singer-songwriters, poets, storytellers and comedians, with one firm rule: all material performed must be original and your own. Nights like the Folkestone Techno Social bring live electronic acts and guest DJs to the intimate 30-seat room. The bar opens Thursday to Saturday evenings from 6pm. Cosy, friendly and a little leftfield, it is a proper grassroots spot for new performers.
Folkestone · Every 3rd Friday of the month · No fee listed
Folklore Open Mic
The Old High Street, CT20's friday open mic.
Next night: Fri 20 Nov. Kick-off 18:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 6 Nov 202618:00
Kick-off
Fridays
sign-up on the nightFridays
| Night | Every 3rd Friday of the month |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | Ask the host |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
151
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians · Poets · Comedians · Spoken word artists |
| Host | Joe Himbury |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 6 Nov 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
03 — The night
Every 3rd Friday of the monthHow the night runs
18:00
Kick-off
FridaysRunning order
18:00 Kick-off
23:30 Venue closes
04 — Find Folklore
The Old High Street, CT20Getting there
The Old High Street, CT20, Folkestone CT20 1RN
The nearest station is Folkestone Central (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
TBC| PA system | TBC |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
The Old High Street, CT20, FolkestoneAbout the night
Folklore on Folkestone's Old High Street runs a monthly open mic on a Friday evening from 6pm, hosted by Joe Himbury. Its listed dates all fall on the third Friday of the month. The night is built entirely around original material: the venue asks that all material performed is original and your own, which makes it one of the few open mics on the Kent coast that rules out covers. Singer-songwriters, poets, storytellers and comedians are all invited, and performers bring their own instrument of choice. Free entry, walk-in, in an intimate creative-quarter setting.
Folklore is a small, characterful cocktail bar on Folkestone's Old High Street, mixing award-winning drinks with a genuinely eclectic programme of live music, DJ nights and comedy. The monthly open mic is hosted by Joe Himbury and calls for singer-songwriters, poets, storytellers and comedians, with one firm rule: all material performed must be original and your own. Nights like the Folkestone Techno Social bring live electronic acts and guest DJs to the intimate 30-seat room. The bar opens Thursday to Saturday evenings from 6pm. Cosy, friendly and a little leftfield, it is a proper grassroots spot for new performers.
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The Old High Street, CT20 · Every 3rd Friday of the month
Folklore Open Mic
The Old High Street, CT20's friday open mic.
- Friday
- Open mic night
- Jun 2026
- Listed since
- 6 Nov
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Folkestone open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Folklore Open Mic — Quick Facts
Folklore Open Mic runs on the 3rd Friday of the month at Folklore in Folkestone, starting at 18:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 6 Nov 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See Folklore’s venue page →
The night starts at 18:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot. Joe Himbury hosts the night.
Next nightFri 20 Nov · 18:00Starts in 7d 10h 24m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Who playsMusicians · Poets · Comedians · Spoken word artists
BacklineNot confirmed yet
Sound engineerAsk the venue
HostJoe Himbury
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightFridayEvery 3rd Friday of the monthNext: Fri 20 Nov
Starts18:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Folkestone this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Folklore on Folkestone's Old High Street runs a monthly open mic on a Friday evening from 6pm, hosted by Joe Himbury. Its listed dates all fall on the third Friday of the month. The night is built entirely around original material: the venue asks that all material performed is original and your own, which makes it one of the few open mics on the Kent coast that rules out covers. Singer-songwriters, poets, storytellers and comedians are all invited, and performers bring their own instrument of choice. Free entry, walk-in, in an intimate creative-quarter setting.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemTBC
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How Folklore’s Friday night runs.
Next nightFri 20 Nov · 18:00Starts in 7d 10h 24m
Kick-off18:00Every 3rd Friday of the month
Venue closes23:30The listed closing time
How often
Every 3rd Friday of the month
Coming up
Fri 20 Nov · Fri 18 Dec · Fri 15 Jan
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find Folklore
The Old High Street, CT20, Folkestone CT20 1RN
AreaThe Old High Street, CT20, Folkestone
PostcodeCT20 1RN
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Folkestone Central (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. You'll find Folklore in The Old High Street, CT20, Folkestone; CT20 1RN is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
The Foundry, The Lifeboat, Your Music School (YMS) and Rosslyn Court
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Friday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
The scene Live music in Folkestonethe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Folkestonepay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Folkestoneacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Folkestoneevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the Folkestone live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Folkestone's Folklore open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Folkestone open mic nights for alternatives.
Folklore has not listed its kit yet — ask the host before you go.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for Folklore's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Folkestone open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
Folklore is in The Old High Street, CT20, Folkestone CT20 1RN. Get directions, or see the other Margate open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Folkestone regulars across the Folkestone open mic scene. Folkestone open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Folkestone Central (rail station), about 20 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is CT20 1RN. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Folkestone open mics.
Venues Near Folklore
No other gigs are listed at Folklore in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Folkestone over the next four weeks →
Folklore open mic in brief. The Folklore open mic runs every 3rd Friday of the month from 18:00 (no fee listed). Folklore’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. The open mics near Folkestone are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Folkestone? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Folkestone open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Folkestone gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Folklore
All ›More rooms near Folklore: Drill Shed, Folkestone Railway Social Club, Hall By The Sea, Dreamland Margate, Leas Cliff Hall, Maiden's Head, Margate Lido Complex, Quarterhouse, Queens Road Baptist Centre - Concerts and Workshops, Rosslyn Court, Royal Norfolk Hotel and The Ballroom.
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