Compass Music Festival

Compass Festival is Folkestone's alternative, independent music festival, rooted in DIY ethos, activist spirit, and community passion. Founded and produced by Compass Music, now a registered Community Interest Company (CIC) as of June 2025, we exist not just as a not-for-profit, but as a mission-driven organisation dedicated to championing emerging, unsigned artists from Kent, Sussex, and the South Coast.

Held in the vibrant seaside town of Folkestone, the festival will brings together 35+ boundary-pushing artists across indie, alt pop, folk, post-punk, indie rock, live electronic, singer-songwriters and more. With two packed showcase days (17–18 October) in  8 quirky independent venues (5 on Friday, 6 on Saturday) including a skate park, a fairground-themed alt venue, a coworking space, a prohibition style New Orleans bar and more, Compass is more than just gigs; it’s about building bridges between new artists, audiences, and the town itself.