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 – which is just 15 minutes’ drive from Wymondham.
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 to support 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 that ‘hosting an arts and music festival has been a huge success and boon for the museum. The merging of music and steam power in the festival’s centrepiece performance was a unique moment for both the music fans and steam enthusiasts assembled. To see so many people 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, and beyond with a line-up that includes Norwich natives Floral Image; Forncett local and rising star Eliza Delf performing with her band Eliza Delf and The Wilderness, acclaimed London outfit Goldheart Assembly delivering fan favourites alongside new material, and much more.
On Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, the micro-festival also 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. 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.’
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.
The programme also includes a range of events, such as original animations accompanied by live classical guitar (‘An Animated Music Experience’), activities centred on the wildlife of the Tas Valley, screenings of short films by emerging filmmakers, and drop-in yoga sessions!
Attendance at the micro-festival is very limited - capped at only 150 people per day. 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, which included touring Europe and America with his band Goldheart Assembly, was paralleled by advancements in medical science. A revolution in treatments for CF has dramatically extended the median life expectancy people with it, and this set the stage for Francis to live without limits. Francis said the CF Trust provided him ‘with support and motivation to get out there and live as best as I could while battling with chronic illness. 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.’
