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02 Jan 11 - 12:44 PM (#3065610) Subject: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: northernmunkeh Any fellow mudcats care to recommend a UK folk festival for 2011? I'm more after the atmosphere than the best acts. Especially ones that include sessions. Having recently taken up the acoustic bass guitar, I'd like to be able to do some playing as well as listening. Something countryside-based and summer time for reasonable camping comfort. Regards N |
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02 Jan 11 - 12:54 PM (#3065613) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 From: Fidjit To start with look here Chas |
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02 Jan 11 - 01:11 PM (#3065622) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 From: Richard Bridge It seems to me that mixed sessions (with song and tunes) are scarce at the more electric festivals. The Good Intent is always good at Sweeps (Rochester, Kent, April/May) but camping is a bugger.. Pigs Ear (the Kentish Horse, Markbeech) is usually good - sessions in the bar/restaurant with electric acts in the marquee - and some midnight sessions in the marquee too. Ely is poor on sessions except for the Sunday night in the beer tent which makes up for the entire rest of the festival so long as you are not at work on Monday! No camping unless you buy a full ticket. Broadstairs is poor on sessions. No camping unless you buy a full ticket. Busses have been poor int he past but were much improved 2010. Sidmouth I am not a veteran at but I have enjoyed when I have been there - sessions almost everywhere, beware alcohol-fuelled noise in the Bedford the first couple of nights, camping a long way out and you need to pre-book (and it has had spectacular floods and swamps) but good busses. I looked briefly in at Wheaton Aston once and it was nice but I'm not sure it's still alive. Miskin was perfection apart from camping in Wales at Easter on a vertical cliff face but alas is defunct. I'd suggest eschewing Faversham. I'd also suggest eschewing Cambridge, as far as I know the informal late-night sessions around the Cherryhinton Hall campsite died out long ago, tickets are impossible to get and no camping without full ticket. Badlesmere used to be nice - sessions in bar, electric in marquee in garden, camping with the goats but has not run for several years and is I think not coming back. There also used to be a fest that all loved on a creek near Faversham but that too is defunct. You being northernmunkeh and all I assume you know what's hapenning north of Watford... |
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02 Jan 11 - 01:15 PM (#3065627) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Richard Bridge That's a useful list, Fidjit |
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02 Jan 11 - 01:23 PM (#3065634) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Cats Folkstation on the Isle of Wight in July,fantastic comes complete with steam trains Moira furnace .. a small and very friendly festival in August then on to Whitby a week of excellent events with loads of fringe events and 'value' concerts |
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02 Jan 11 - 01:30 PM (#3065638) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: theleveller If you're looking for smaller really friendly festivals I can thoroughly recommend Ryedale Folk Weekend at the end of May and Moonbeams Wold Top Festival in the heart of the Yorkshire Wolds in mid July. Both in idyllic settings with great artists, friendly people, good sessions and perfect for kids. We'll be going to both so maybe see you there. |
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02 Jan 11 - 01:50 PM (#3065649) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: northernmunkeh Thanks to all. Some good suggestions and an excellent web directory from Fidjit. I will take a look through and also keep an eye out on this thread in case anyone else has any recommendations. N |
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02 Jan 11 - 02:01 PM (#3065666) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Fidjit Thanks Richard. Happy New Year to you. Chas |
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02 Jan 11 - 02:19 PM (#3065670) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: stallion York - 4th & 5th of June Free festival |
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02 Jan 11 - 02:43 PM (#3065687) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Herga Kitty Alcester & Arden, 17-19 June, White Horse Festival at Grove, near Wantage, 12-14 August.... Kitty |
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03 Jan 11 - 06:29 AM (#3066100) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: banjoman Sadly Broadstairs has become little more than a Pop Festival over the past few years with very little space, apart from the Woodshed , for just joining in. It seems that the organisers are more interested in Headline Acts which attract large numbers from outside the usual folk scene. |
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03 Jan 11 - 07:25 AM (#3066129) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,Eliza There is a funny little one called the Sheringham (Norfolk) Pottie Festival, first weekend of July. It's Morris dancing and free-for-all singing/playing in the evenings. Lovely setting, countryside and shore. Shantymen's choir. Camping available. Also the Worstead Festival, also small but beautiful setting, near The Broads, on for three days, 29 30 31 July. Both these events have VERY friendly and welcoming clientele, and if the weather is nice, they can be idyllic. But they're not sophisticated or mind-blowing, just gentle country affairs. (PS for Americans, The Broads are not what you may think, they're man-made lakes!) |
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03 Jan 11 - 07:37 AM (#3066134) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Acorn4 Moira Furnace Folk festival |
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03 Jan 11 - 07:55 AM (#3066139) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Nick Whitby has lots of diversity and sessions of all sizes and sorts but is quite large and busy I found Sidmouth lots of fun and reckon you could happily play from morning to night if you wanted. Not sure about camping as I was staying in a house (apart from the night I slept in the car which is not clever) Beverley is also fun and has a lot going on and things you can get involved in |
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03 Jan 11 - 08:55 AM (#3066174) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: EnglishFolkfan northernmunkeh For a big listing of English Scottish & Welsh Folk Festivals complete with their website links try Folk Orbits Festival section: Folk Orbit Festivals Section You will find there are other Sections in Folk Orbit to music sessions, dance and other Folkie delights all year round if you wish to plan on visiting places for music sessions between Festivals! My local Big Summer festival is Shrewsbury Folk Festival in Shropshire which has sessions all day long on the main festival site (with online downloadable songbook for those tunes you may not know before arriving!) Across the river from the site in the Town are daily sessions too in the local pubs, Festival artists also join in with these as part of the plan which makes the whole town a festival friendly place. Visitors & Artists from the US come to this event and I've heard this week of some 1st time visitors crossing the Pond who've booked their hotel & got their festival tickets already! Shrewsbury Folk Festival Where ever you end up northernmunkeh I hope it's a great Summer for you over here. |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:33 AM (#3066829) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,Ticketseller Look at www.hardrawgathering.co.uk for a small festival in Wensleydale that has loads of sessions..... |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:48 AM (#3066837) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: OlgaJ Moira Furnace in August. Two pubs for sessions on all three days as well as onsite singing so there is plenty of choice. Small but friendly. |
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04 Jan 11 - 05:54 AM (#3066839) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST, Jim Hancock Hi There Yorkshire Folk Arts has extensuve information on Yorkshire Festivals All the best Jim Hancock |
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04 Jan 11 - 07:48 AM (#3066913) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Old Vermin Seaside Swanage in Dorset of course - second weekend in September. Song sessions in Red Lion - instrumental elsewhere. http://www.swanagefolkfestival.co.uk/ - do look at the lower video there. |
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05 Jan 11 - 06:29 AM (#3067604) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,MC Fat (at work) In planning stage but the 'resurrected' Sheffield Folk Festival at Easter Friday 22nd April till Sunday 24th April |
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05 Jan 11 - 08:58 AM (#3067714) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Green Man Alcester Summer fest will be advertised here after the winter fest. Supported by a goodly number of Catters, it ticks all of your boxes. Click Here |
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05 Jan 11 - 09:04 AM (#3067717) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,SAILOR RON Fylde [Fleetwood in Lancashire], 1st weekend in Sept. has numerous music/song sessions. |
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06 Jan 11 - 04:51 AM (#3068320) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,thebones1234 Filey Folk Festival 2011 @ the Station Pub in Filey, on the North Yorkshire Coast. It will have a marquee covered beer garden all weekend just for open sessions/singarounds. Also in the pub itself a sectioned room for sessions again. It does have an amplified stage aswell for pre booked acts but this is merely to enhance the sound rather than blasting people heads (it will be busy). A lot going on all under one roof. Hobgoblins nice too ! |
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06 Jan 11 - 04:57 AM (#3068325) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,thebones1234 Just to add - Filey Folk Festival is TOTALLY FREE ENTRY TOO. Public, open players, everybody. 29th april/30th april/ 1st may - double bank holiday weekend. |
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06 Jan 11 - 04:59 AM (#3068327) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: VirginiaTam I can recommend Moira. Wonderful compact little festival. Sadly it looks like this year's will be superseded by a family event. Sigh. Pigs Ear is fabulous too as is Sweeps. Hurry up spring. |
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08 Jan 11 - 07:16 AM (#3069739) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: northernmunkeh My word, there's some choice out there! Good to hear that so many are thriving - and some reviving. Seems we've lost a few festivals along the way but your posts are by no means all bad news. The variety is great too. I will certainly consider town based ones (and city - sorry, Sheffield) too as my request for camping was for proximity, rather than an enthusiasm for a lumpy bed. I think I've got my work cut out choosing. You've provided some excellent web links and I hope that others searching Mudcat for 'festivals' will find these helpful too. Northernmunkeh |
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08 Jan 11 - 10:42 AM (#3069849) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,Philippa what festivals are best for practical workshops (song, dance, instruments, storytelling, etc)? In Ireland we have a number of week-long summer schools which are also partly festivals (they include concerts and sessions which are attended by both enrolled students and other people) |
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08 Jan 11 - 12:22 PM (#3069907) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST Whitby has a lot of workshops (£5 a time or free with a season ticket), free (collecting tin) sessions, singarounds and displays, dancing of all sorts, enough excelent concerts to keep you busy but the emphasis is on Traditional rather than the Headline names. So you don't usually need earplugs and the musicianship is superb. The workshops cater for all levels of dancing and playing - the difficult part is chosing what to go to and what to miss (and how to run down the clif and across the habour in 2 mins). |
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08 Jan 11 - 12:37 PM (#3069915) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Herga Kitty Yes, but if camping at Whitby will need to book a space early - same applies if not camping, but at least the festival won't clash with the Regatta this year! Kitty |
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09 Jan 11 - 09:02 AM (#3070512) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: northernmunkeh Philippa Folkworks, based at the Sage Music Centre Gateshead runs a summer school (not a festival) in Durham 9-14th August 2011. http://www.thesagegateshead.org/l_and_p/joinin/adultprogramme.aspx The application form is more informative than the brochure (which mixes up the youth and adult programmes unhelpfully). northernmunkeh |
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09 Jan 11 - 08:19 PM (#3070930) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,Fantum Saltburn Festival 12 - 14 Aug 2011 Always a singaround on somewhere, concerts, singarounds, sessions at various venues throughout the town. Freindly and always plenty to go to. |
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10 Jan 11 - 08:54 AM (#3071255) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Hawker Bude Folk Festival....seaside, good company, Fantastic sessions...... Click here |
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16 Jan 11 - 07:39 AM (#3075595) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: GUEST,uttoxeter mayfest 2011 Uttoxeter Mayfest 2011 now confirmed on SUNDAY 1at may, tradtional dancing anf filk all day in market place and local pubs, large folk music event in evening. www.uttoxeter,ayfest.co.uk |
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16 Jan 11 - 11:49 AM (#3075715) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: mally I'm going over to Fareham at easter when the Gosport & Fareham festival's on. Could anyone suggest any venues (pubs etc) where I might find informal sessions or singarounds I could try. |
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16 Jan 11 - 12:34 PM (#3075732) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Seayaker Plenty of opportunities to play at Bromyard F.F. 9/10/11. September and a really nice small festival atmosphere. |
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16 Jan 11 - 03:11 PM (#3075831) Subject: RE: Summer Folk Festivals 2011 (UK) From: Michael Stainsby Festival now confirmed for 22nd -24th July. Mike |