A community busking event will take place at Folkestone Harbour on Saturday 16 May 2026 to help raise funds and awareness for a new statue of local rock legend Noel Redding. The event is part of the month-long Music in May festival, which celebrates the town’s status as the world’s first music town, a designation awarded in 2019 following a project led by Found in Music.
Musicians of all ages and styles are invited to perform at the harbour, located by the flower bed between the London & Paris Hotel and the bottom of the Old High Street. Organisers have confirmed that a PA system will be provided for those taking part, and all performers will keep the money they earn during their sets. Anyone interested in participating can simply turn up from 10am till dusk. All participants will receive a Noel Redding badge.
The campaign to honour Noel Redding, who was born in Folkestone in 1945 and is best known as the bass player for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, is being led by project leader Steve McCarthy. The tribute, which is being created by the musician’s niece, sculptor Lace Redding, continues the town’s commitment to preserving its musical history, following the earlier renaming of a central town square as Noel’s Yard.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
