Venues

The Bull is a traditional 18th century pub with a welcoming atmosphere. It attracts families, locals and shoppers who come in for the value for money food offers and competitive prices on a wide range of drinks. The Bull is centrally located in the heart of Dereham and boasts a great, popular back terrace seating area. The friendly team  welcome new and old customers alike. Weather permitting bands will play outside at the rear where there is wheelchair access.

Recently back on the live music circuit thanks to Sarah and Morgana this centrally situated traditional pub has lots of character and knows a good band as well as a good pint. Free house serving Green King, Molson Corrs. They will also be providing a Barbecue from 3-8 pm on Sunday of the festival.  They have their own private spaces located in a large municipal shoppers' car park that is right next door.

Community Blues Explosion venue for the choir rehearsal & beginners workshops

A stylishly decorated venue serving  locally sourced freshly prepared food including fresh stone baked pizzas - delicious and authentic! For blues loving wine connoisseurs they can also boast a cellar of amazing wines from small vineyards all over the world. Cocktails made to order  - perfect to drink outside in the rear garden and patio area.

The Cock public house has been lovingly restored back to its original name as a traditional real ale pub. With a classy internal decor, The Cock is a Freehouse serving delicious and interesting beers from local and national brewers, as well as specials from around the world.  Conveniently located on Norwich Street, The Cock has a lovely relaxed and friendly vibe and will be hosting free entry music gigs throughout the festival.

Community Blues Explosion venue for The Cigar Box Guitar workshop. Due to the demand for this workshop, Dereham Men's Shed is working in partnership with Dereham Aid Centre so that participants have lots of room for making their guitars.

Dereham Aid Centre, formerly the Ukraine Aid Centre is a charity that helps those in need regardless of Age, nationality gender or religion. They are pleased to be partnering both Dereham Men's Shed and Dereham Blues Festival.  

Venue for Community Blues Explosion event The Story of the Blues, presented by Terry Bunting.

Dereham Cricket Club became a venue for the blues festival for the first time in 2019 and had a sensational evening of it, with barbecue, bar and fantastic crowd-pleasing live (and loud) blues music. The cricket club is based in a lovely setting off the Norwich Road, next to the fire station, just 350 metres from the level crossing. There is a small amount of parking on site.  There is a ramp giving access for wheelchair users into the club-house and bar, but the live music event and barbecue will be outside, weather permitting.

The Cricket Club is on Norwich Road, next to the Fire Station (NR20 3AS). Contact derehamcricket@gmail.com for info about camping.

Chill out with a swift round in the surroundings of the beautiful golf course or relax in the comfortable lounge, with a friendly bar, outdoors barbecue and live music in the club house. The golf club is just half a mile from the town centre Market Place, on Quebec Road.

Dereham Memorial Hall is rapidly becoming established as the major venue for a whole range of arts and entertainment events in central Norfolk! From meditation workshops to music and dance classes, the refurbished main hall is also a great venue for an extensive all year round programme of  theatre, music and family entertainment. The Memorial Hall has wheelchair access. 

​This year the Friends of Dereham Memorial Hall will once again host the opening concert with 2 fantastic stars of the present and future; the festival is opened by the amazing James Oliver Band, one of the UK's most gigged blues acts, and headlined by the incredible Toby Lee and his band, barely 20 years old but reveered by his peers and a major star of the future. Don't miss out on your chance to catch this incredible and sought-after artist.

A brand new public garden commemorating the prolific 18th-century British writer of children’s books. Easy access through the popular modern shopping complex sited next to QD store

The Gemini pub and restaurant has long been a favourite with locals and is less than half a mile from the town centre. Under new management, it has an  extensive menu served in a large, welcoming restaurant. It is family friendly, with a very large garden and well equipped children's play area. It also has ample parking and a permanent ramp from the car park into the building for wheelchair users. 

With a wide selection of real ales, lagers, and ciders and our fresh home cooked menu (including breakfast from 9 to 11:30) made with locally sourced fresh produce, you're sure to have a great time at the newly re-opened George Hotel, bar and restaurant.

The Greenstone is a traditional family-oriented carvery and pub situated on the south side of the A47 road and just one mile from Dereham Market Place. With a generous car park it is easy to access on car or on foot. The Greenstone takes pride in the quality of their food and drink and take care to ethically source their ingredients. In 2024, there will be live blues bands in the garden on the Sunday afternoon. 01362 788080

Including a children's play area with swings and a mini football pitch in extensive grounds, 5 bars including an outdoor real ale bar, a prosecco & wine bar, and with a barbeque all weekend, the Kings Head is a must visit for all the family.

What... a station? Yes, with a difference. The imaginative hard working team have built up this popular tourist attraction from a derelict Beeching casualty. They are frequent hosts to jazz events on the trains and on the platform and have hosted theatrical productions. They have hosted every year of the festival providing a  chance to experience blues in an exciting and  unique environment. Ample parking and a licensed event cafe serving snacks makes this a popular destination. It is also accessible to wheelchair users.

In a first for the blues festival, the comfortable Orion Cinema will be hosting an informal talk with Mississippi Macdonald, conducted by Ross Stewart. The cinema is located very centrally in Dereham Market Place and has shallow steps to the front entrance. 

A truly unique pub serving some of the best fish and chips in town, and famous for hitting the headlines with well organised fund raising events throughout the year. Always worth a visit to see what they have on offer.

Very central traditional pub,  an ideal starting point either to the festival or to explore the town. Now under new ownership, the venue has been completely refurbished and boasts no less than four very large screens. Use a town centre car park, the Red Lion is right next to the cinema and the central Market Place. The staff have a ramp for help with wheelchair access but no disabled loo.

A welcome venue to Dereham Blues Festival and chosen by Norfolk Blues Society for it's monthly jam sessions. Open to non members and not a bad seat for a view of the stage, this is a great place to relax sit back comfortably and soak up the atmosphere. Good ales served from a well stocked bar at very reasonable prices.