Will Varley

Event information

The Sandwich Folk & Ale Festival 2026 gets underway with a special fundraising concert to launch the festival weekend.

📅 Friday 3rd July 2026
📍 St. Mary’s Arts Centre, Sandwich
🚪Doors 7PM
🎟️ Tickets £20

Headlining the evening is acclaimed Kent singer-songwriter Will Varley, widely regarded as one of the finest songwriters of his generation. A relentless touring artist, Varley has played everywhere from South London open mics to Royal Albert Hall, and has shared stages with Frank Turner, Valerie June and The Proclaimers. His latest album 'Machines Will Never Learn to Make Mistakes Like Me' was released in 2025 to rave reviews and reached No. 4 in the UK Americana charts.

Supporting Will is the brilliant Morag Butler, host of Margate’s much-loved folk venue Rosslyn Court. Known for her thoughtful, witty and occasionally delightfully risqué songs, drawn from everyday life, Morag recently supported Peter Doherty at Olympia Hall and Gabriel Moreno in Gibraltar. Her new EP ‘Morag' is out now.

🍺 A full bar will be open all evening, including our festival ales.

Come and help us kick off the Sandwich Folk & Ale Festival 2026 while supporting the festival at this special opening-night fundraiser.