The Festival
The Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama is one of the oldest, largest and most celebrated festivals in the UK. The 2026 festival will take place from 7th to 14th March at the Bedford Corn Exchange, Harpur Suite, Howard Room and Kings House. The event will welcome over 3,000 musicians and actors of all ages and abilities; all made possible by an army of 100 or so volunteers.
There are over 250 classes to choose from covering all musical instruments and grades, and spanning a huge range of genres from Classical to Musical Theatre, Jazz to Asian, Pop to Folk, as well as Speech and Drama classes including Verse Speaking, Creative Performance, Religious Texts, Business Pitches, Shakespeare and Acting.
Entering the festival represents an excellent personal development opportunity – everyone receives useful, constructive feedback from a professional adjudicator, as well as a certificate to recognise their participation.
Although competitive by nature, the festival spirit is about challenging yourself to take the stage and perform what you love doing with energy and passion. The process can be un-nerving and rewarding in equal measure. The journey begins once you pluck up the courage to enter. The discipline of preparing and rehearsing your piece, the character-building process of overcoming your nerves to take the stage and the satisfaction of looking back upon your achievement.
Anecdotally, young entrants report improvements in their sense of wellbeing which translates into better performance at school and other aspects of life.
Constructive feedback from a professional
Every participant receives thoughtful, detailed feedback from highly trained adjudicators. Their professional insight helps performers understand their strengths, identify areas for growth, and gain guidance that supports long-term development in music, speech, and drama.
Boost in confidence
Standing on stage and sharing your skills in a warm, encouraging environment is a powerful confidence-builder. The festival experience helps performers overcome nerves, trust their abilities, and discover the joy of expressing themselves in front of an audience.
Sense of achievement
From the moment you step onto the stage to the final applause, the festival offers many opportunities to feel proud of your progress. Whether you perform for the first time or reach a new personal best, each participant leaves with a genuine sense of accomplishment.
Enrichment and broadening of experiences
The Bedfordshire Festival brings together a rich mix of performers, styles, and disciplines. Taking part exposes entrants to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and inspiring performances, helping them grow as artists and deepen their appreciation for the performing arts.
Anita Barker
Headteacher of Scott Primary School
"The Bedfordshire Festival offers an excellent opportunity for our children to develop life skills including confidence, resilience, the ability to speak in a public forum and receive feedback in front of people they don't know. What better way to allow our children to find their voice!"
Alex, aged 18
"I have grown immeasurably as a performer by taking part in the festival. It has enabled me to develop my craft through feedback from adjudicators who are experts in their field, and being able to share my work alongside fellow aspiring performers has meant that we are learning so much from each other too. "
Charlie Abrahamson
Head of Drama at Bedford Free School
"I’m so pleased we entered the festival last year with 3 of our year 10 students. Although they were very apprehensive, having never done it before, they came away feeling incredibly confident and proud of themselves and desperate to partake again this year in more categories. "
Izzy, aged 17
"Being able to take part in the festival is an invaluable experience, it’s helped me to be more confident in my performing and my ability, it’s a great opportunity to compete with like-minded people and receive helpful feedback from experts in that field."
