Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival

All about the Tolpuddle Martyrs - their story, their legacy and how we celebrate it every year.

19-21 July 2024

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Follow us on Instagram to get all the latest updates about the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 2026:
https://t.co/xFXtDQ2EM4

[Trades Union Congress @The_TUC]

Paul wants to know, why is Nigel Farage on the side of bosses over workers like him?

@unitetheunion

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Watch this moving tribute for Radical History School Organiser Les Kennedy who died this year.

With George Mann singing Si Kahn's 'People like you help people like me go on'.
We honour Les' contribution to the trade union movement and radical history
https://t.co/E58Ud4kD7j'

[Unite South West @unitesouthwest]

What a weekend at @TolpuddleFest 2025! 🌳🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who made the Unite tent such a vibrant space for music, theatre, and debate.

From electric performances to inspiring conversations – roll on 2026! ❤️✊

#tolpuddle #tolpuddlefestival #tolpuddle2025

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

This time tomorrow we march through Tolpuddle. The procession is the core of our festival and a celebration of our movement and strength.

Which banner are you marching under this year?

The young workers' space has a graffiti wall that will turn into a banner - add your art😎

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

The Unite marquee is looking fierce this weekend, kicking it off in 1h30 with a performance by the one and only Robb Johnson!
Check out Saturday's visit to Shire Hall Museum in Dorchester, a unique and special offering.

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

IMPORTANT: We have secured and released additional shuttle bus tickets for Sunday returns to Dorchester. These are in short supply and we expect them to go quickly - if you were hoping to stay later, please grab yours!

https://t.co/Em51kWGDAM

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

🌅 GOOD MORNING, TOLPUDDLE!
The marquees are waiting for you. Tents are going up. Tea’s brewing. Caterers are on site.

And our gates are officially OPEN!

Come early, stay late—this is where our movement lives.

#Tolpuddle2025 #WelcomeIn

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Our doors open tomorrow!

Tag your festival buddy! Who’s your ride-or-die Tolpuddle partner? The one who reminds you to reapply sunscreen, shares their snacks, or drags you to the late-night music?
Who are you most looking forward to catching up with tomorrow?

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

DILEMMA: Which Saturday 3 PM session will YOU choose?

AI vs. Workers - Martyrs’ Marquee
Boss-Busting - Solidarity Tent
Fighting the Far Right - Unizone
Stop Arming Israel - Fringe Tent (3:30 PM)
Surviving Trump 2.0 - International Tent (3:30 PM)

https://t.co/pqIzkXgAOW

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

SATURDAY IN THE ORGANISE TENT

A) STAND UP TO BAILIFFS: 10:30 AM | ACORN
B) SLAY OR SWAY: 11:45 AM | Jenn Forbes on intervention
C) WOMEN WORKERS DOWN UNDER: 1:30 PM
D) GET ORGANISED!: 2:45 PM
E) FREELANCERS UNITE: 4:00 PM

Comment your picks—or camp here all day!

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Festival pet peeves—what’s yours?

Queue jumpers? People who talk during speeches? Forgetting where you pitched your tent? Or when your two favourite speakers are on at the same time in different tents?

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

UNIzone this year features: Unity in action! Uniting around trade union values and combatting the rise of the far right.

Check out this beautiful programme brought to us by @UNISONtheUnion

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

We love No Sweat tees too!

Great company, great people, great ethics.
Pure Solidarity in a T-Shirt ✊❤️

[No Sweat @No_Sweat]

Queer punk legend, artist, activist and educator, Liv Wynter is backing our Crowdfunder!
Liv has been using No Sweat tees for a few years now and is always ready to stand shoulder to shoulder in the struggle for workers rights!
Be like Liv donate here:
https://t.co/tUfj6GlanX

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

How do workers organise for justice in dire conditions of war and dictatorship? Let first-hand accounts from Syria and Sudan be your guide on this painful and crucial exploration of how we show solidarity with our siblings across the world while also learning from them.

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Which Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival food stall are you?

A) Vegan pie enthusiast
B) Coffee addict
C) Purbeck ice cream no matter the weather
D) ‘I packed my own snacks’
E) Greasy food, and Workers Beer all evening

We've got something for everyone: https://t.co/Ic6wsb5crm

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

💡 "What if workers actually ran the world?"
Hear @The_TUC’s Kate Bell, @FBUGeneralSec, and grassroots campaigners blueprint a future where workers' power wins. Spoiler: It starts at Tolpuddle - just like the movement did.
📅 Sat 19 July, 10:15 AM | Fringe Tent

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

Festival essentials: What’s on your must-bring list?

We said:
- Ines: sun cream, mascara, face cream. Does my child count?
- Tanya: my water bottle! Also my mascara. My excel spreadsheets.
- Sadie: lots of shoes. My guitar, but then I don't play it. And my Palestine earrings.

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

NOBODY EXPECTS… MORRIS DANCERS WITH A MISSION!

💃🦊 Drumming. Pagan rebellion. Protest anthems. This is folk tradition turned resistance—costumes that scream "climate emergency", dances that honour workers’ struggles.

📅 SAT 19 JULY | 12:30 PM
📍 Solidarity Tent

[Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival @TolpuddleFest]

With one week to go, we want to hear your favourite memories of Tolpuddle!
Meaningful, funny, shocking, rolling down the hill - tell us your stories, we might feature them 😉