Folk Festivals UK

Subject: Folk Festivals
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:08 PM

Over the years which festival weekend would you suggest people to go too in the UK?

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:19 PM

Chester

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:45 PM

It depends entirely on what you like doing. There are singers festivals, dancers festivals, audience festivals and musicians festivals.. each has a slightly different orientation. Each festival puts on a similar style programme, but the 'fringe' sessions are what can define the festival. Towersey is great for singers, but that isn't to say the music session in the pub is bad... it's just not as good as the music sessions in Chippenham.

For a comprehensive list of festivals,
courtesy of fRoots
should be useful.

For additional info, a search on 'folk festivals' in most search engines will give you other listings.

LTS

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:48 PM

Okay we will go for singers and music festivals within 200 miles radius of London?.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:51 PM

Towersey, August Bank Holiday. Some great sessions and a large amount of Mudcatters from the UK.


But I'm biased!

LTS

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: GUEST,*****
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 04:10 PM

There is a little festival that wants to host a whelk & spatula workshop in Aug. 2005.

Later!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: *Laura*
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 04:12 PM

Towersey!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 04:38 PM

Warwick and Whitby

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: GUEST,Richard Davies
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:22 PM

For early in the season, try Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival in Hampshire. Comfortable indoor venues, some 70 miles south of London. Very friendly crowd. See www.gosportfestival.co.uk

Rich

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:40 PM

Towersey festival and I am not biased. It is just the best. It has sessions in the pub, singaround in the shed, both with bbq and real, real ale. Big concerts to see big names, folk club to see smaller names and to play floorspots. Competitons for any acoustic act. Beer tents, good food, arts and crafts, music stalls (intruments as well as sheet music) nice camping sites. ETC ETC.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:44 PM

Well I, for one, think the Broadstairs Folk Festival is the best. They're the only ones to hire me to perform this summer. The others I applied to either told me I wasn't "traditional" enough or didn't bother to answer me at all. So my vote goes to Broadstairs.

Mike

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 06:14 PM

Towersey!....the singing in the Barn is Grand and there are a lot of mudcatters there too!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: GUEST,Tom Catt
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 06:25 PM

Towersey is great. Trowbridge, Wimborne, Gosport & Fareham at Easter, Warwick, Cambridge and Womad late July all worthy of a mention... and I like the look of the new Eastleigh festival in early August as well as Bromyard to end the season.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Col K
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 07:58 PM

Alcester in Arden near to Stratford is in June and has some excellent singing

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 10:08 PM

Gaia - There are festivals all through from Easter till October with several on each weekend . Towersey is indeed a good festival IF you are going to be in UK at the end of August , Chippenham at the end of may is also worth a look , Cleckheaton in July , ALL slightly different and all different prices ! White Horse Festival in mid August is a nice Small Festival , Caversham in June is a 'free' (that
means LOTS of collecting tins) festival . Have a look at the Froots
listings , then you pays your money and takes your chances !
If you send a PM to Badger he can make you a Mudcat Badge , then any Catters you meet will know that you are part of the family .
Best of luck , whatever you decide .

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: GUEST,Guest at Cheltenham Festival
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 11:46 PM

I hear the new Eastleigh Festival in Hampshire may have a special Rendezvous Bar where Mudcatters know they can meet up with others from this community.

Would be nice if other festivals considered the same.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 06:31 AM

Ely hasn't been mentioned. 2nd weekend in July. Great weekend is guaranteed.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Emma B
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 07:08 AM

I "would" have to say Chester - late May Bank Holiday but I'll second Col's suggestion - Alcester in Arden, a charming, small friendly festival with some great singers and great beer too!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Cllr
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 07:22 AM

There is a thread called UK folk festivals this was my post to it
I mainly go for singarounds and meeting my friends


Ok this not an exsuastive list but ones that I go to if I can. I like to go to a festival a month but it tends to be all out over August,
I did manage 17 year before last but I was completly knackered and not all were great. Most of the these have good singing sessions as that what I do nowadays.

February I go to Middlebar reunion, Portaferrry ok these arnt festvals but we sing alot
march/april Miskin at easter
May{ fox and hounds, Chippenham
june Bishops castle (ok this is one I havn't been to but it sounds good) Iwas at the sangfrancisco folk festivel instead
July Warwick Ely
August Sidmouth, (YEAH FOR 2005)
dartmoor, Grove,
Bridgenorth or towersey
September Wareham Bromyard Song and ale October banbury
November bedworth,

I would like to got to more mudcat reunions but most festival seem like that these days.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: *Laura*
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 05:58 PM

Towersey! Refresh! Towersey! (Sidders - if done properly) - but... TOWERSEY! Yeah!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: Mr Happy
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 06:34 PM

go aS MANY AS U CAN!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals
From: John Routledge
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 06:38 PM

A third for Alcester in Arden.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 07:23 PM

Definitely Warwick, and Saddleworth and Beverely

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Mr Happy
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 07:37 PM

There's a 'happenin' this w/end iN Derbyshire- 3 Stags Heads, Wardlow Mires.

Mr H + fiends wil b appearin Fri afternoon, nite. Sat afternoon+ nite+ Sun lunchtime for freestyle + all-in folking about events.

See here http://www.greatbeer.co.uk/derthst.htm


We'll b there Fri pm 5ish onwards.

Campsite adj pub 5pounds 4 w/end.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Scintilla
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:35 AM

Towersey and Bromyard from experience, and I hear Chichester is good too. Not sure about Caversham, it was cancelled last year I think but I played at the one before that and although it was nice and sunny and some good names booked there weren't that many people there, could be a grower though.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: s&r
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 11:51 AM

Fylde.

Stu

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 12:31 PM

Miskin FF on 25 - 28 March

National FF on 8 - 10 April

Upton on Severn May BH W/e

Wheaton Aston 3rd w/e May

Chippenham FF on 27 to 30 May

Bishop's Castle FW on 10 - 12 June

Alcester FF on 17 - 19 June

Chorley FF on 24 - 26 June

Kington FF 1st - 3rd July

Bromsgrove FF on 8 - 10 July

Warwick FF

Sidmouth FF

Dartmoor FF on 5 - 7 August

Burntwood FF

Saltburn FF on 12 - 14 August

Whitby FF on 20 - 26 August

Towersey FF on 26 - 29 August

Bridgnorth. 26 - 29

Otley FF on 16 - 18 Sept

Bromyard FF

Well some of these have freshly squeezed lemonade!

Sal

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Menolly
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 01:56 PM

Covering my head in shame - I admit to never having been to Towersey, but I love Warwick for taking my whole famuly to. However, can I put a bid in for Chippenham, as a festival involving all sides of folk music, best combining the dancers with the musicians. My main interest in the singing and it is not the best festival for this, but the town is so involved and the market on Bank Holiday Monday is great, even if it has seen better days! Lovely town if the music & dance overwhelm you - downside - virtually no accomadation if you don't camp!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST,Tobermory
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 02:17 PM

Indoor festivals - warmer and more comfortable - so:

Gosport & Fareham March 24-28

Wimborne in June

Then I'll brave the outdoors for Trowbridge, Cambridge, the new Eastleigh Festival and Bromyard to finish the summer.

Both the Gosport & Fareham and Wimborne festivals also have comfortable hotels nearby and some excellent pub sessions for singers and musicians.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: skipy
Date: 16 Feb 05 - 06:16 PM

Thanks LF
Skipy

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 05:55 PM

Gosh, Skipy that was a bit cryptic.

Grove (which you organise)is a good festival, OK?

Kitty

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 07:05 PM

UK-wide????
So far nearly all in England, largely in the south, one in Wales.
You can get details of most Scottish festivals via www.tmsa.org.uk
I haven't been to them all yet by a long chalk, but my favourites so far are: Glenfarg, Linlithgow, Lomond, Stonehaven, Girvan, Innerleithen and Both Sides the Tweed (which will be in Selkirk this year; it moves around every couple of years) All of these are weekend festivals in lovely locations, with very friendly natives. I gather Orkney and Shetland festivals are pretty wild, and it helps if you play fiddle at frenetic speed!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 07:12 PM

Tattie Bogle - I am West London so a Scottish Fest is a week away from home , so I have never actually got to one ! And there is NO way I am going to reccomend a Festival without experience !! Friends have 'Done' Shetlands as a booked duo and had a great time !!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 07:47 PM

Sorry I spoke: I only recommended those I had actually been to as well. The name of the thread was "Folk festivals UK" after all!
You can now fly to Scotland from most parts of the south of England on budget airlines for less than the cost of petrol to drive up, so give it a try!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST,Tubby
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 07:52 PM

Well I'm from the south and always enjoy Chippenham, Cambridge, Larmer Tree and Gosport / Fareham at Easter but I've also headed to the wild northwest of Scotland for 'Drams in the Field' and had a wonderfully wacky time.

I like the look of the new Eastleigh Festival in early August. Got a leaflet from them today along with my Beverley Festival mailshot.

Good to see Steve Heap is now helping to organise Beverley.

Sidmouth's loss is Beverley's gain.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Leadfingers
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 08:33 PM

Tattie- No offence intended - Merely commenting ! As a Gigging muso , the time I take off from paid work matters a bit more than it did when
I just had to book a few days paid holiday ! The last time I was in Bonnie Scotland my time did not coincide with any festivals at all !

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 11:15 AM

Far too much of the same old farts doing the same old songs.

Festival directors want to give new and YOUNG acts more of a show otherwise we will kill off festivals. Either that or go to one video it and then just sit and watch the re-run when you want.And in the comfort of your own home instead of some smelly mucky farmers field.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: skipy
Date: 18 Feb 05 - 03:04 PM

Kitty "LF" was for "Leadfingers" for giving me a plug.

Young Guest of post above:-
I am sure that you are welcome at ALL festivals! Like a lot of things in life you need to prove yourself & then you get work, sitting back & moaning that you are not getting a chance will not get you one!
No names no pack drill but we have put a couple of young names on that are now stars in their own right (& now we can't afford them!)

Skipy

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: The Unicorn Man
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 07:29 AM

How about some dates for 2006 spring/summer festivals. If anyone knows any.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 08:12 AM

'How about some dates for 2006 spring/summer festivals. If anyone knows any'

First up for me is a FREE festival....

St Valentine's Festival, Sutton Coldfield
Week end 17th-19th Feb 06
Not quite 'spring' but what the hey.....

Later, attending Holmfirth, Chippenham, Masham,, Glasson, a 'Beer Fest' just outside Sheffield, Hardraw, Sidmouth, Otley (of course!), Gainsborough, Ingleton - but unfortunately not a personal fave of mine Alcester!
PM me for dates if you like.
Hope to see some Cats! - Cheers - HFA

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: jojofolkagogo
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 09:11 AM

Hello, there, 'catts

I like a FREEBY, too, I NEVER go to a concert (sorry - but cannot afford it) I go to festivals that have plenty of FREE singarounds, now Towersey as far as I know, only has ONE, which is on at lunchtime and then again in the evening, which is enuf for me !!
but its only one pub and its only a weekender - I usually sleep in the car Sat night and stay for Sunday and then go home ...

When I first came onto the Folk Scene somebody said "if you ever want to go to a festival, go to WHITBY its the best" and he was NOT WRONG
its a weekly, has about 20 pubs, all free, lots of singarounds, plenty of diddly diddly sessions too, and you can "drown" in the music - however, its a long way from London !! but well worth the journey.

Tony and Pearl run the singaround in Towersey, and they also do a great job at CHIPPENHAM, which is also a weekender, with only the ONE singaround - but its good, the day stuff in the street is fantastic but evenings are poor - again I dont go to ceilehs or concerts, just the FREEBIES !!!

I would be VERY interested to know of any other freebies like WHITBY - w/end or weeklong, that has LOTS and LOTS of pubs which are FREE
anyone know??? be very greatful to hear
Many thanks, best regards to all
from Jo-Jo
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: HipflaskAndy
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 10:31 AM

Aquick check and I see the St Valentine's fest has concerts where there's an admission charge too - sorry if I gave a wrong impression - but all the free things going on around most fests are allus great fun!! cheers! - HFA

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Sooz
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 12:36 PM

Jo-Jo, the freebies are fun and have a great atmosphere but we can only afford to run festivals if people are willing to buy tickets.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 08:07 PM

Everybody seems to think festivals start at Easter. The Foaotmad annual Gainsborough old time music festival is next weekend 17-19 feb. We have it in february because it's the time when the best Old Time musicians have nothing else to do, so we get 'em for not too much money - and it's great having a fest when there's nothing else going on.
Check out our website and do yourself a real favour - the standard's amazing.
Ray

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 08:13 PM

Just off to Cheltenham for the day, then Gainsborough, Gosport at Easter, Chippenham, Wimborne, Warwick, Eastleigh and Broadstairs finishing-up at Bromyard in the autumn.

What a lovely summer to look forward to.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Dead Horse
Date: 10 Feb 06 - 09:05 PM

Broadstairs = August Friday 11th - Friday 18th
Many good groups/acts in many good pubs.
Concerts with same (most charge admission, but not all)
Many workshops (admission)
Sessions in pubs (free)
Huge campsite (please god with school facilities this year)
with lots going on in school (campsite fee)
I just got the draft programme and it looks to be as good as ever, but alas, no Alaska Mike this year.
Oh yes, and there is the beach and the sea too, with ice-creams and beer and chip shops and take-aways and circus for the kids and every other person knows every other person and somebody always knows who does massage raki shiatsu open heart surgery etc.
AND gloriously friendly drunk folkies like me.

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Carol
Date: 11 Feb 06 - 04:57 AM

I second jojofolkagogo - I object paying for tickets when I don't go into concerts ( much prefer singarounds) That's why I've stopped going to Bedworth, even as a retired early booked ticket was £19, a lot of money for a weekend of singarounds and no I havn't ever stewarded, I don't want to loose any time in the singarounds. There are lots of festivals where you can't camp without season tickets and you can't find reasonably priced places to stay and even some like Bedworth where you can't go into a singaround without a season ticket.
I have ran singarounds and do think it's funny when 'only the favoured few' end up running them. They've told me that it's work, running singarounds that is, well all I can say is why not share the work among more people!!
There are several song weekends which are free or nearly free, Barnsley at Easter comes to mind as the first one and of course Denaby on the weekend of the 8th - 10th September the only charge is for camping with quite a few in between!!!
I don't object to paying towards folk festivals and either make a donation or buy lots of raffle tickets because I do understand that things have to be paid for but still don't see why singers in singarounds or even musicians in sessions should susidise concert goers. There I feel better for that now!!!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Carol
Date: 11 Feb 06 - 05:13 AM

Sorry but if you want to know more about free weekends trhttp://www.retailfranchise.co.uk/music/ Glynn has a list on this page

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: GUEST,Festival Organiser
Date: 11 Feb 06 - 05:34 AM

It's people like Carol and jojofolkagogo who are putting the very future of folk festivals at risk.

If you "object to paying at folk festivals" then how on earth do you think the festival organisers are expected to pay for the festival itself?

It's not just the concert artists who have to be paid, or all the infrastructure (staging, marquees, PA, lights, electrics, toilets, fencing, matting, dance floors etc.), it's also all the security, staffing, insurance, health cover, risk assessments, room hires, transport, administration costs and, of course, advertising, marketing and promotion to let you know the festival is happening in the first place!

A few pence in a collecting tin doesn't begin to cover all these costs.

I'm all for singarounds on the 'fringe' of festivals but if you don't contribute to the core costs of the festival then you will soon find there is no festival to singaround!

Subject: RE: Folk Festivals UK
From: Carol
Date: 11 Feb 06 - 05:45 AM

Yes, I agree with your last sentence but contributing to the festival doesn't mean paying the full amount for a season ticket which we only use to go into singarounds.
I do think that there is enough scope within the festival 'genre' to cater for all tastes and personally prefer the smaller festvals that don't have marquees and PA systems etc.