Forncett Industrial Steam Museum announces the return of Forncett Festival. From the 7th – 9th August the museum will open its doors for three days of live music, films & participatory open mics and workshops. Local and international acts will perform across the weekend at the industrial heritage site in the heart of the Tas Valley.
The micro-festival returns for its second year after the success of the inaugural gathering in 2025. Welcoming over 200 people and raising over £3,000, the event is a key pillar of Forncett Industrial Steam Museum’s arts events programme. The unique art and music festival was the genesis of Forncett Festival CIC which has a mission of supporting emerging local artists whilst bringing art and culture from around the world to South Norfolk.
Dr Rowan Francis, who founded the Forncett Industrial Steam Museum in 1982, said, “The museum was born from a passion for preserving the stationary steam engines that powered Britain for 250 years of the Industrial Revolution, sharing their grand history to inspire future generations. We can only succeed in this endeavour when our doors are open and people walk through them, so hosting an arts and music festival on our grounds has been a huge success and boon for the museum. The merging of music and steam power in the centerpiece performance of the festival was a unique moment for both the music fans and steam enthusiasts assembled.
To see so many people experiencing the museum and marvelling at the steam engines, who would not have found their way to us otherwise, was very meaningful after more than 45 years running the museum.
It is important for the next generation to experience what we have built here, but also for them to play a part in shaping its future. So it has been astonishing and gratifying to see how the hard work of the festival organisers Nick and Taryn has brought new awareness and appreciation of the museum from local people and visitors from beyond the county.”
Miranda Ellis-Marchant, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Forncett Industrial Steam Museum said, “This is an exciting development for the museum to be working in partnership with Forncett Festival CIC. We’re really excited to see diverse groups of people coming to the museum, discovering the collection, and enjoying the beauty of the Tas Valley, as well as supporting so much wonderful local and international talent. Last year’s event was a huge success and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people this year.”
Artists will assemble from Norwich, London, & beyond with a line-up that includes Norwich natives and purveyors of dreamy, playful East Coast Psychedelia Floral Image; Forncett local and rising star Eliza Delf performing with her band Eliza Delf & The Wilderness; acclaimed London outfit Goldheart Assembly delivering fan favourites alongside new material, Leeds-based exploratory lo-fi indie-rock band Green Gardens, Oklahoma-born folk musician Adam Thomas Howard who brings his The Duke of Norfolk music project to Norfolk for the first time and performances from members Paris-based songwriters’ collective Listen Marianne.
Friday night headliners Eliza Delf & The Wilderness said, “We’re so excited to play at such an interesting venue, headlining a growing festival in the beautiful Tas Valley.”
Forncett Festival embraces participatory music making alongside showcasing established acts. On Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, the micro-festival features open mic sessions hosted by local legend Peter Turrell. Music-makers are invited to turn up, take their place on the main stage, and share their songs with the festival ahead of the day’s headliners. Grassroots and participatory at its heart, the festival’s mission to unearth new talent and nurture emerging artists also continues throughout the year at monthly music gatherings.
Turrell said, “It’s a great thing to get the audience involved – people feel like they’re part of the festival, not just spectators. Norfolk has a thriving grassroots creative scene and it’s amazing to see the Forncett Festival embracing that as a festival the local community can really take part in. The atmosphere at last year’s open mic was brilliant; it brought everyone together and set a really good tone for the rest of the weekend, a celebration of live music in a beautiful steam museum.”
On Saturday, attendees will be treated to the unique experience of seeing and hearing the museum’s iconic steam engines working at night. Arguably the centrepiece moment of the festival, the Hopwas Beam Engine will be featured in the live headline performance from Norwich psychedelic band Floral Image. It’s become something of a tradition at the Forncett Festival for the main headliners to share the stage with the steam-powered machines in full motion.
Alongside the rich lineup of musical performances, the weekend event also offers festival-goers opportunities for artistic expression and immersion in nature. The programme includes a range of creative, educative and wellbeing events including: An Animated Music Experience created by George Leeder & Peter Turrell (original animations accompanied by live classical guitar); talks and activities centred on the wildlife and ecology of the Tas Valley; screenings of short films by emerging filmmakers; drop-in yoga sessions for all abilities; an open expression art making space held by Gracious Creations; inclusive musical jams guided by folk musicians Heather & Jason Burford; and a participatory mural painting taking place across the whole weekend, facilitated by local mural artist Joey La Meche.
Attendance at the micro-festival is very limited – capped at only 150 people per day, providing an intimate and magical experience. Day tickets and weekend tickets are available to book on a pay-what-you-can basis.
All profits from Forncett Festival will be split between two causes close to the organisers’ hearts: The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the UK’s leading charity supporting people with Cystic Fibrosis and Forncett Festival CIC, formed by local artists Nick Francis and Taryn Everdeen to support emerging fellow artists whilst bringing art and culture from around the world to the Tas Valley.
Born with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Nick Francis carved his path as a young musician whilst receiving ongoing treatment for the condition. His successful music career’s progression, which included touring Europe and America with his band Goldheart Assembly, was paralleled by advancements in medical science. Specifically, a revolution in treatments for CF has dramatically extended the median life expectancy of people with Cystic Fibrosis. This set the stage for Francis to live without limits and dedicate his adult years to supporting the local music community and medical research organisations that supported him in his youth.
Francis said, “The CF Trust provided me with support and motivation to get out there and live as best as I could while battling with chronic illness. This along with support from friends and family meant that I was able to be involved in a creative music scene, which really kept me going when managing life was more complicated. The new treatment changed everything for me, but they haven’t found something that works for everyone with CF yet – that’s why it’s vital that we keep raising funds to further research and continue supporting people who are still dealing with the reality of life with Cystic Fibrosis. My condition and situation is much more stable now; finally I have the energy and the resources to give something back.”
Norwich became home for Everdeen at the beginning of her adolescence. She is a singer-songwriter and prominent member of the Norwich grassroots music scene as well as an emerging filmmaker. In December 2024, she became the youngest Trustee on the board at Forncett Industrial Steam Museum, dedicating her time to diversifying audiences at the museum. Everdeen said, “The grassroots music scene in Norwich made me who I am today and it’s absolutely amazing to be able to give back to a community who has given me so much. Our hope in organising the Forncett Festival is to offer a space where creativity and connection can thrive, a third place where musicians and artists can feel safe to express and explore. Last year was something truly magical and we can’t wait to do it all over again.”
Everdeen and Francis’ shared passion for platforming and nurturing emerging artists and their desire to increase access to arts and culture in a rural setting inspired the first Forncett Festival and gave rise to the formation of Forncett Festival CIC.
Fri 7 – Sun 9 August 2026
FORNCETT INDUSTRIAL STEAM MUSEUM, Low Road, Forncett, St Mary, Norwich, NR16 1JJ
Local and international acts will perform across three days of live music, films & participatory open mics and workshops at an industrial heritage site in the heart of the Tas Valley.
Pay-what-you-can tickets from £5
Booking link – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/forncettfestivalcic/2244961
Website link: forncettfestival.co.uk
