Brian Flynn and staff will be extending a warm welcome to all Weymouth Folk Festival attendees.

At The Cove House Inn, Chiswell, on the Isle of Portland.

An open invitation - starting with the weekly tune session at 8.30 Thursday 8th May - is extended to all those who wish to make and enjoy folk music.

Come and join us from Saturday 10th Maylunchtime – right through until the last festival survivors on the night of Sunday 11th May.

Friday 9th May - The Piano Dentists - will be performing.

Pop in to the good food and folk-friendly pub, right on Chesil Beach with free parking and just 15 minutes away from Weymouth.

Tel 01305 821 407.

A Youth Hostel is just a 5 minute 'stagger' away.

Details of the Weymouth and PORTLAND Borough Council organised - 2nd WEYMOUTH Folk Festival can be found on their website here. http://www.weymouth.gov.uk/main.asp?svid=7&svaid=187&svapid=1581

Full details of the rather sad story of this event, can be found on the following thread Weymouth Folk Festival

For folk not following this thread - perhaps a word of explanation is called for, as after sending out the invite, I received the following and the writer may not be alone in this thinking.

This is an enticing invite, but haven't you been urging us for weeks to boycott Weymouth Folk Festival because of lack of sessions and attitudes of councillors?

Now I find it difficult to see how folk can expect this event in this form, to be widely supported by the folk community, but actually no I have not been urging folk to boycott Weymouth Folk Festival, as a careful read of the above thread will show.

In truth I have urged people to convey their views to the council, over their policy, and many have done so and some of these have also said that they will boycott this festival. That must be a matter for them, but I have challenged folk who do their best to ignore the policy and advise others to do the same, in their desperation to hold this festival on terms dictated by the council.

However, this is an invite to informal participatory events organised on PORTLAND - to take place during the weekend of the Weymouth AND PORTLAND Borough Council organised WEYMOUTH Folk Festival. I am just providing what I hope is an attractive alternative for folk who may feel reluctant to totally support the Council organised event over this one weekend, in contrast to their attitude towards folk music, for the rest of the year

Partly to show that I am not a kill-joy luddite.
Partly to show that folk events can take place on Portland (or indeed in Weymouth), without council money, direction or organisation.
And partly as a protest at the Council's policy - but mainly to make some fine music!

For there are no official Weymouth Festival events planned to take place on Portland, even though Weymouth AND Portland Borough Council's money is funding this, the 2nd event. There may have been some excuse for last year's event, not covering Portland, but there is no such excuse this time.

This is not an easy situation but I have not urged anyone to boycott anything - I have just been presenting the true facts to enable folk to make up their own mind - I am trying always to be positive, in rather negative times.....Come and join us.

You will be made very welcome.

You will not be bombarded with political propaganda – hopefully you will be bombarded by fine music (and dance).

You definitely will NOT be subject to interruption any from council officers – as the Cove House Inn does have a Public Entertainment Licence.