I think it is one of our more sucessful ideas:-) It has indeed done us a lot of good. Not 'missionary' work as it was put but in integrating the folk club regulars with the pub regulars. There was very little interaction before, just the odd chat at the bar, but we are now one whole community. Well, for a few days at least.

Funny how it started. We used to run the festival at the Lancastrian Hall, Swinton. Once nominated as the ugliest building in the country! It was a proper festival - Big concerts in the afternoon and evening. Ceilidh. Craft fair. Workshops, the lot. It only got by with funding from the council and the local Arts body (NW Arts at the time). The hall shut and we could find no other venue so we 'scaled down' and, with the landlords permission, just used the pub where we hald the folk club. We used the club room for a 'folk club' concert where regulars and residents at the club were 'showcased'. We used an upstairs room for a small concert with at least one 'national' artist.

That left us a few gaps to fill. Craft fair - Who need's 'em? Workshops? We never had more than 6 people at one anyway. Kids session? Let the parents look after their own little dears! Leaving only the singaround. I think it was the landlord himself suggested using the bar but I could be mistaken. We are also blessed with a couple of excelent performers who will sing and play (and drink as it happens!) all day and make sure there is never an embarrasing silence:-) So - off it trundled and I doubt if anyone, could now stop it!

Oh - and we don't generaly need funding any more. But if I can get it I will use it as intended - Pay for people to take music and dance onto the streets of Salford!

Cheers

Dave