I don't go to folk festivals - or any other festivals, for that matter - because I'm not a huge fan of them, on the whole. Alan and I popped up to run a pub session at Warwick last year - great fun, but a long way to go for a 3-hour session.

Having said that, I shall be attending all 4 days of the Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend, which is a miniature in festival terms, and enjoying playing music, singing, drinking beer and eating pies at the Royal in Dungworth. All in glorious countryside in the Peaks.

And I shall take advantage of its proximity to Sheffield to pop down into that city and buy a musical saw from one of the few makers left. Even if I never get to play it properly, I can always saw a few bodhrans in half at future sessions... :-)