Wild Paths Festival 2025 — Norwich, October 14–18

If you’re in Norwich this week (or planning to be), you’re in for something pretty special. The Wild Paths Festival 2025 returns to the city from 14–18 October, taking over 15+ venues and pop-up spaces across the city centre in a beautifully eclectic, adventurous style. 

Here’s a full rundown of what to expect:

What makes Wild Paths tick

This isn’t your standard outdoor field festival. Wild Paths is a multi-venue, city-wide festival that merges live music (emerging acts + international names) with talks, film, late-night jams and pop-up bars/food trucks. 

Key features:

  • Genres cover everything from indie, folk, neo-soul and jazz to psych, post-punk, disco and more. 

  • Venues are both conventional and unconventional: record stores, cafés, basements, a medieval church, a skate-park built into a church, even a hidden underground street. 

  • A strong focus on diversity, sustainability, community — the organisers emphasise elevating local creatives and marginalised voices. 

Highlights of the 2025 edition

  • Over 150+ bands, artists and DJs across the city.

  • A fresh wave of 70+ artists added this year, including blog-buzz names (e.g., Nix Northwest, Astral Bakers, Picture Parlour) plus local/new talent (e.g., Catbandcat, Ale Thieves). 

  • Venue-specific gems:

    • A visual-album screening accompanied by a live band in Cinema City. 

    • Late-night jazz jams in St Laurence’s Church (with acts like the all-female/non-binary-led Peng Femme Jam). 

    • Heavy / punk stuff in a “skate-park in a church” venue. 

Why Norwich is the perfect backdrop

According to the festival’s director (in a Visit Norwich interview), the city offers “little hubs of creativity scattered across” it, which matches perfectly with the multi-venue, exploratory festival format. 

When you combine Norwich’s rich independent music scene, historic architecture, tucked-away venues and an audience open to discovery, the result is a festival that feels both urban-adventurous and deeply local.

Useful tips if you’re attending

  • Passes & tickets: You can get a full festival pass (5 days), or single-day passes. See the box-office info at The Maids Head Hotel (Edith Cavell Room) for collection. 

  • Venue hopping: One wristband gives you access to multiple venues across the city — plan your route, pace yourself, leave time for transitions.

  • Accessibility: Note that venue conditions vary widely (basements, stairs, historic buildings). Fill out the accessibility form ahead of time if needed. 

  • Food & drink: With pop-up bars, food trucks and unusual venues, bring your appetite and sense of discovery.

  • What to pack/wear: It’s October in Norfolk — chilly evenings, possible rain. Dress in layers, comfortable shoes for walking between venues.

  • Must-see picks (based on early chatter):

    • BINA. — neo-soul/jazz from South London. 

    • Brown Horse — Norwich alt-rock/folk crossover. 

    • Getdown Services — high-energy two-piece from Bristol/Manchester. 

    • For something unique: the visual album screening & after-parties.

  • Explore beyond the music: Since it’s spread across town, take a moment to appreciate Norwich’s architecture, hidden gems and independent venues as part of the experience.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a festival that’s not about giant crowds in a field, but rather about exploring a city, discovering new voices, enjoying hidden venues and varied genres — Wild Paths 2025 is ticking all those boxes. It’s also a wonderful way to engage with the local culture of Norwich and the broader UK independent music scene.

Whether you’re a local, or visiting from elsewhere, I’d highly encourage you to carve out a few slots in your schedule for this festival: pick one or two venues you must hit, leave room for serendipity, and let the city guide you.

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