Yesterday we drove out to the Otley Festival, with Judy and the GPS navigating. We're getting quite good at roundabouts, anticipating which lane we should enter and when to shift over to exit. We used to just scream in terror!

We arrived in Otley well ahead of time, found a convenient car park, and then found Jim Saville waiting for us in front of the Festival Office. We all walked in and Jim mumbled the magic words that secured our passes. We also learned that our workshop had been relocated to Korks and rescheduled an hour after what was previously scheduled. Jim had made up some posters with the correct time and place and hopefully anyone who showed up at the deceased Black Horse was able to track us down. Bob Watson did manage to track us down.

I set in on a number of musical events, one in the back garden of a pub which featured "traveller songs" led by Mick with banjo and his wife Suzie with accordian or mandolin; they were great to listen to and watch. And I managed to swap one of my CD's, the one with "The Traveller" recoded on it, with Mick.

I then went next door to the Red Lion where I knew there was an open singing session somewhere upstairs. There was quite a crowd there but I managed to find some seats for myself and Judy. Some of our Hull friends were there as well. We heard some fine singing there as well, including some sea shanties. So when my turn came I led "Fire Marengo" which seemed to fill the room nicely. Judy did equally well leading "A Parting" by C. Fox Smith. The session ended with "Bully in the Alley" with some great harmonies.

About ten people found their way to our C. Fox Smith workshop and Jim and I had a fine time describing her life, Jim reciting poems and I filling in with songs based on her poems. Jim ("shantyfreak") now has my remaining stash of Songbooks if anyone is interested in acquiring one in the UK.

We then dashed over to another pub where Jim and Les Barker were doing a joint presentation of poems. The upstairs room was packed to the rafters but it certainly will be pleasant memory to treasure. Judy and I are familiar with Barker's work but only as rendered by others. He is a brilliant writer and a wonderful presenter. It is a miracle that the room survived the volume of groans and laughter.

I'll continue later with a description of the evening concert but now we need to go for breakfast and decide if we're returning to the Festival. The evil rain gods are at it again, I fear!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble, resident in York