New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset

Subject: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 10:23 AM

The first ever Charmouth Folk Festival will be held in September 2019 – more details to be announced soon!
Nick

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 09:06 AM

The details came though today. The website is still under construction.
Charmouth's first Folk Festival
27-29th September 2019

Featuring
Richard Digance
Keith Christmas
Nick Dow
Green Diesel
Folk Lore
Grant Baynham
John Watterson
and more...


www.charmouthfolkfestival.com

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 10:15 AM

Nick - here's your link as a blue clicky - although the website only seems to show dates at the moment and not a guest list.... thanks for the heads-up though!

Kitty

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 10:23 AM

Is the performer bill filled, or is there room for additions? I know a couple of good local acts!

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 02 Jul 19 - 11:21 AM

Not sure.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Jul 19 - 03:26 AM

Near to Lyme Regis map

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 27 Aug 19 - 10:39 AM

The website is up and running. All I can tell you is that I am running workshop on Dorset Traditional Folk Songs, and presumably singing in a concert line up.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 03:18 AM

IMNSHO - getting a website up and running is essential, but 6 weeks before the event is not going to pull in the crowds. Locals maybe.

But for a first pass it covers most essentials. As there is no contact (a bit of a failing) perhaps Nick can pass on my observations (point them here):

The "how to get there" is comprehensive but might benefit from a post code to the main venue/ticket collection. The bus service mentioned might have a road route/termini listed.

They have the ticketing sorted, but it looks like they are event tickets rather than any season. But the ticket page is a sort of "programme".

And for me it does not include a ceilidh (AFAIK), so of less interest. But good luck to them, ya gotta start somewhere and not be too ambitious.

FWIW - a festival including dance, somewhere later on in the season, might appeal since global warming has given us extremes of temperature. This August BH was HOT! Some events that might have got a useful crowd in, even at teatime, were lean to say the least at Towersey.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 03:46 AM

There is a Fakebook page but you have to join to comment & thereby get answers, no other contact offerings. Maybe try the people themselves, but you have to have a Fakebook account to even do that. Didn't see any mention of camping so:

campsites.co.uk - Charmouth

ukcampsite.co.uk - Charmouth

Newlands Holidays (all types of camper) is about ½ mile out of town. Best of luck.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Rumncoke
Date: 28 Aug 19 - 07:08 PM

This festival has just fallen off the radar for my dance teams - no response to enquires from the bagmen so dropped from the schedules.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Aug 19 - 04:39 AM

Will look forward to that. Where and when is your workshop Nick?

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 19 - 11:46 AM

Just shows the demographic they are aiming at. Nobody with a job is going to book leave at the sort of notice that has been given.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 03:44 AM

Don’t let’s damn something just because it seems to be different from our conventional notion of how such things should be done. The Millennium Wheel was ridiculed as something doomed to failure, but it is still drawing punters all day every day two decades later (unlike the Dome which closed before the new millennium actually arrived).

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 10:04 AM

Sorry for the silence here. This is the first chance I've had to pass on info. Whitby and Fleetwood festivals have been taking up my time.
Charmouth is not a Folk run event. It's being funded by the Charmouth Council, and the poor woman who is putting it together is Maggie Wiscombe and she is really doing her best. She has been dumped in the deep end. She has all her council work to do as well as answer Emails.
Please give her a chance! I reckon that there is lots of scope for help needed. Stewarding and Dance sides may well be needed. I put her in touch with an ex member of Swanage festival, to ease her burden.
As soon as I know any more I'll get back here. If you are local try and get in touch to offer some help. I know we all get a bit jaded after years in the business, but Rachael Bailey has done a great job of running Fleetwood folk and Blues (FAB).It's in its third year and getting bigger every time. Let's hope it's the same for Charmouth.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 25 Sep 19 - 07:08 PM

It's this weekend. I have helped Maggie get a singaround in the ?George Pub and a tune session in the Oak on the list.
I am on the Saturday night in the Newlands holiday Park DT 6 6RB
I have no idea if I will have a Folk listening audience or not. They have asked for traditional songs, and to use my own P.A.
So since it's my evening I am open to any singers who also want to play of sing Traditional songs to come and do a couple in the evening, after all I can't sing for the whole night long. To be fair it could be that the management say no floorsingers but I doubt it.
I have not got a clue how this is going to go. I'm doing a workshop on Dorset Folk songs in the church hall on the Sunday afternoon.
It looks like I'm the only Traddie there, other than Gary and Vera Aspey. Well fingers crossed and hoping for the best. On a positive note Maggie is doing her very best, so I hope it's a success.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 02:54 AM

well done, Nick,

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 05:09 AM

Best of luck, Nick. Please do let us know how it goes.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 05:32 AM

here is the website. I had forgotten about this.


http://charmouthfolkfestival.com/

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 05:35 AM

here is the facebook page


https://www.facebook.com/groups/1998288783616407/

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 05:41 AM

Its friday today - Ican't see where it says to go to tonight or what's on.

No disrespect to the singers booked - but where are they appearing? And when? And they must have cost a lot to draw from all corners of England.

If the organisers really didn't know what they are doing - they should have stuck to local singers who are all used to working for sod all.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 19 - 06:48 AM

if you go to the website & click on the programme link it tells you where /when people are playing

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: The Sandman
Date: 29 Sep 19 - 07:28 AM

no i disagree Al, it is better to have a mix, a bit of both , it does not necessarily follow that people who are travelling a distance are very expensive ,they might be combining it with other work in the area, and thus reducing their price as a favour

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Sep 19 - 04:53 AM

i hope the festival was enjoyable and successful

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 02 Oct 19 - 06:50 PM

I liked it. There was a lot wrong but much more right. Very friendly people, and some great ideas, like a free (for performers) and for charity breakfast organised by the locals.
My gig at the Newlands was much better than I thought it was own P.A. and sang Traditional songs to a quiet and appreciative audience none of whom had set foot in a Folk Club or festival before. Young Dora Darling came over and did 4 songs, and Nige Canter backed me up with some fiddle. He was running the tune session on Sunday.
The singaround run by John Waltham was not so successful, but we made it work as best as we could. Next year it will be in the village hall (If there is a next year) with a listening audience (my idea).
Maggie has asked me to supply a list of singers for future consideration, I'm thinking along the lines of grass roots working pro and semi pro musicians who have an appreciation of the tradition, and something more to offer in the way of workshops. I can not be too involved with the organisation mainly because I live in Lancashire.
After Tenterden this weekend I will have been booked at eleven festivals this year (!!)all have been enjoyable, I get the feeling that Charmouth may well end up being on the list for a return visit. All the ingredients are there for success. I am happy to put my (considerable) weight behind them.

Subject: RE: New Folk Festival in Charmouth Dorset
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Oct 19 - 06:19 AM

well done Nick stout fellow