The SCoFF Festivals, Special Events and Workshops List

SCoFF claims no credit for the following events which are independently run in and around the SCoFF area, in some cases by Member Clubs or their organisers, but it does encourage and support them and hopes that members will encourage their regulars to attend.

Festivals, Summer Schools and one-day Events
in the SCoFF Area

Events at Halsway Manor are also listed by the Manor

  • 2011

  • SUSSEX All-day SINGAROUND Saturday 15th. January 2011 from 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. The Royal Oak, High Street, Barcombe (near Lewes) East Sussex BN8 5BA. Free admission - good pub food on sale all day. First an hour of informal tunes while people arrive. Then the singing starts, finishing with a good hour of glorious choruses. Ballads & the occasional instrumental party piece will be very welcome too.

  • Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival 14th-16th January 2011 in Whittlesea, Cambs In Whittlesea, from when no one quite knows, it was the custom on the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the 1st Monday after Twelfth Night) to dress one of the confraternity of the plough in straw and call him a 'Straw Bear'. A newspaper of 1882 reports that "... he was then taken around the town to entertain by his frantic and clumsy gestures the good folk who had on the previous day subscribed to the rustics, a spread of beer, tobacco and beef". Suppressed after 1909, it was revived in 1980

  • The above followed by an English Tunes Session on Sunday 16 January at the Elephant & Castle, Lewes.

  • Bursledon Music Festival Sat 5 February 2011 12 noon-11pm at Bursledon Village Hall, Long Lane, Bursledon Nr Southampton, Hants with Feckless, Steve Daniels and others.

  • STRINGS AT WITNEY 5th & 6th February 2011. Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass in Traditional Music. See also the Village Music weekend

  • The 15th Cheltenham Folk Festival 11-13 February 2011

  • HANDS ON MUSIC VILLAGE MUSIC WEEKEND, Witney 5th & 6th March 2011. Woodwinds, Brass, Free Reeds, Strings and Voices

  • ALCESTER WINTER-FEST 25-27 FEB 2011.GREIG HALL. KINWARTON ROAD. ALCESTER. B49 6AD. Tickets only £25. For more info ring Marje 07788536605

  • THE 11th SWANAGE BLUES FESTIVAL - 4, 5, 6 MARCH 2011

  • Bournemouth Folk Festival Sat 11 March 2011. Brand new festival to launch this year in the beautiful, sunny, seaside town of Bournemouth. A one-day event guaranteed to fill your musical senses and put a huge smile on your face. The BIC will play host to a jam-packed day of music and dancing featuring Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning (multiple winner) Chris Woods, (the cream of the Newcastle Folk degree course) The Monster Ceilidh Band and lots, lots more.

  • Frittenden FestivalFrittenden Old Fashioned Night Out 26th and 27th March 2011. Tunes, songs and stepdancing from old friends and special guests from lunchtime on Saturday 26th March. The focus will be on traditional and old-fashioned entertainment, and events will include a tunes session (with a few songs) at 12 noon at the village’s Bell & Jorrocks pub, followed by workshops on stepdancing and social dancing, an atmospheric and varied old fashioned evening of entertainment and dancing, and finally a regular Frittenden Session on the Sunday evening.

  • La Grande Gennerie 11-15 April 2011 workshop in France with Johnny Coppin, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • Oxford Folk Festival NOW CANCELLED Friday 15th - Sunday 17th April 2011. [Street Parade, Ceilidhs, Morris Dancing and children's activities.] Partly replaced by an alternative Free Festival the same weekend - see website.

  • Sore Fingers Week (bluegrass) 18-22 Apr 2011. Kingham Hill School situated just south of the A44/A436 linking Chipping Norton and Stow on the Wold.

  • Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival 21-24 April 2011

  • St George Fest in Hedge End (Nr Southampton) 22-24 April 2010. Events organised so far include a 'New Rope String Band' Concert Saturday 23 April at the brand-new Berry Theatre at 8pm

  • Upton Upon Severn Riverside Folk Festival 28 April-2 May 2011

  • Hastings Jack in the Green 29 April-2 May 2011 tbc

  • La Grande Gennerie 23rd-27th May 2011 workshop in France with Martyn Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • Chippenham Folk Festival Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 27-30 May 2011. Four days of the best folk dance, song, music and traditions in the heart of Wiltshire.Chippenham Folk Festival, The Causeway Music and Arts Centre, The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DD, ENGLAND. +44 (0)1249 657190 or info@chippfolk.co.uk (Note: The Festival telephone is not manned all the time but there is a message service in place which is usually checked at least once a week)

  • 12th Fishguard Folk Festival 27th - 30th May 2011

  • Dulverton Folk Festival 27-30 May 2011. On the southern gateway to Exmoor, between the Barle and the Exe, a new festival with emphasis on participation and quality.

  • Wessex Folk Festival, Weymouth 3-5 June 2011.

  • Strawberry Fair Sat 4 June 2011, a local festival of music, entertainments, arts and crafts that takes place in Cambridge on Midsummer Common, Cambridge each year. Over its 30 year history, Strawberry Fair has evolved into one of the largest, free, open-air festivals of its kind in the country. And, believe it or not, it is completely free to attend - but volunteers [and donations] are required. The 2010 Fair will focus on active community involvement, with more space for local people of all ages to create, perform and take part. One of the core values of the Strawberry Fair has always been to offer a truly diverse range of entertainment for individuals, families and children in Cambridge. For 2010 the committee are also placing a strong emphasis on trying to avert climate change and encourage sustainability. Enquiries http://webmail.strawberry-fair.org.uk/

  • Wimborne Folk Festival 10-12 June 2011. Contacts Linda Wilde 01202 623740 linda.wild@wimbornefolkfestival.co.uk (Info, Concerts, Sessions, Tickets) or Maria and Brian Bisp, 01202 743465, maria.bisp@wimbornefolkfestival.co.uk (Dance, Pub Gigs, Stalls).

  • Forest Folk Song and Ale, North Boarhunt (Nr Fareham) Hants 24-26 June 2011 Informal singarounds and sessions with a Guest Concert tba

  • Crawley Folk Festival at The Hawth, Crawley, Sussex 24-26 June 2011.

  • Valley Music in St Mary Bourne Bourne Valley in Hampshire on June 24th – 26th 2011. A group of people, working together to present a small festival for the Bourne Valley. The music is loosely described as 'folk music', and includes music from local choirs, Gaelic ensembles, dance bands as well as World Music. The music is beautiful and fun and should appeal to the community as a whole. There is a great deal of musical talent in our area as well as a sizeable population who we feel will enjoy this festival. We know very well that we will not even scratch the surface of what is available to us locally by way of musical talent and ideas. However, you have to start somewhere, and the criteria for the festival are that the musicians are either local or known to us and that people in the Bourne Valley can feel that the festival is for them. We anticipate that some of the festival will attract people from outside of the Bourne Valley and everyone is very welcome. We are aiming to have workshops during the daytime and performances in the evenings. We are fund raising, and asking for support, as we want to make this event attractive for everyone. We have wonderful supporters, 'Angels', and they are listed on the website. Without them this event would not be able to take place. Mary Childs.

  • La Grande Gennerie 27th June-1st July 2011 workshop in France with Mike Silver, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • Christchurch Festival, Dorset 1-3 July 2011

  • 12nd Sark Folk Festival 1-3 July 2011 with a wealth of Channel Island talent and an ever increasing list of visiting acts from the UK and France.

  • Beggars Fair Romsey, Hants 8,9 July 2011. Community Festival with free events all around the town.

    Surrounding this is Romsey Arts Festival with several folk-oriented events: Madding Crowd workshop on 9 July 10.30am - 12.30pm and on 13 July 7.30pm until 10.00pm a performance by Woodlands Village Band 'As I Roved Out', a concert of traditional folk songs and tunes collected across southern England. There is also a repeat performance of 'Look Out', the Titanic show written by local folk songsmiths on Sat16 July at the Plaza and the regular 'Folklights Extra' on Thurs 14 July at the Lantern.

  • Roger's Rant Milborne, Dorset 8-10 July 2011. Folk Clubs, Concerts, Ceilidhs and Workshops. In aid of Coda Music Trust and Air Ambulance. Particularly wishes to encourage young performers.

  • Folk Station on the Isle of Wight 8-10 July 2011. Based around the stations of the IOW steam railway with Vicki Swann & Jonny Dyer, Isambarde, Patti Smith & Ned Clamp and many more.

  • West Somerset Folk Festival Carhampton, Nr Minehead 8-10 July 2011.

  • Priddy Folk Festival 8-10 July 2011. On top of the Mendip Hills in Somerset. 9 concerts, 2 Ceilidhs, Late nite bop, All Day Club Tent, Family friendly atmosphere, Lots of free actiities, Dance & Children’s Festival, Craft Demonstrations, Good onsite camping, Crafts & Trade stalls.

  • Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival 15-17 July 2011, Tolpuddle, Dorset. Now extended and admission charged (except Sunday)

  • Trowbridge Village Pump Festival 21-24 July 2011. Folk and roots music in concert plus dances, workshops, informal sessions, street entertainment and a complete children's programme.

  • Folk by the Oak Sunday 24 July 2011, Hatfield House, Herts

  • Wickham Festival 4-7 August 2011 Nr Fareham, Hants.

  • Cambridge Co-operative Folk Festival 28=31 July 2011.

  • Sidmouth Folk Week 29 July-5 August 2011. Sidmouth Tourist Information Centre, Sidmouth, Devon EX10 8HR, Box Office tel. 01395 578627 (accommodation queries 01395 516441).

  • Dartmoor Folk Festival 5-7 August 2011. The Dartmoor Folk Festival is a friendly traditional festival, with highlights including Ceilidh, Song & Music Sessions, Dartmoor Stepdance and Broomdance Championships, Dartmoor Fayre, Craft Displays, Dances, Music Hall, Sunday Ramble, Folk Service, Pub Sessions & Children's Events.PLUS - Craft tent, Sideshows, Demonstrations, Dance Displays, Children's Entertainers and much more...The festival continues to attract some of the top national and local artists as guests, maintaining its reputation as one of the top events in the folk calendar. Camping is available in fields close to the festival site, with events taking place in the nearby village hall and playing fields. Jane White enquiries@dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk.

  • Broadstairs Folk Week 5-12 August 2011. Pierremont Hall, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 1JX, Tel: 01843 604080, Email: info@broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

  • Bath Folk Festival August 8th-14th 2011. Bath will play host to over 17 concerts, an Irish music summer school, many workshops in Music and Dance from Various Folk Traditions as well as many informal sessions.

  • Bideford Folk festival 11-14 August 2011 NOW CANCELLED. But make contact to catch up on small-scale substitute offerings

  • Towersey Village Festival 25-29 August 2011. Nr Thame, about 15 miles East of Oxford.

  • Purbeck Folk Festival 26-28 August 2011 at Wilkswood Farm, Langton Matravers nr Swanage BH19 3DU.

  • Southsea Folk Festival 26-29 August 2011 this is the eleventh year of the festival and the first at our new venue in Southsea: The NBE CSA Club (aka The Dockyard Club), on Onslow Road, Southsea, PO5 2NH. As well as changing venue we've been working on upgrading the facililties on the website, including a new more adaptable ticket sales system, and media resources section and more to come. Daytime Concerts (£8) from 12:00 noon - 6:00 p.m. Saturday - Monday (see Website for details). Evening Concerts (£10) from 8:00 p.m. Friday - Monday. Real Ale bar.

  • Wadebridge (Cornwall) Folk Festival 26-29 August 2011

  • Shrewsbury Folk Festival 26-29 August 2011

  • The Wail Verwood 2-4 September 2011. (formerly Wareham Wail), Oakfield Farm, Horton Way BH31 6JJ. Come and join in the singing with some of the country's finest traditional singers, all hand picked from folk clubs and festivals around the country, some well-known, some not heard of, but all of a high standard. A harvest of song complemented by good company, good food and drink. Everything on one site: move from sing to sing. Campsite, Bed & Breakfast and food tents all within easy reach. Ring us on 01202 733699 or use the postal address: Wareham Wail, 10 Old Wareham Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH12 4QR

  • Didmarton Bluegrass Festival 1-4 September 2010 at Kemble Airfield, near Cirencester. The biggest bluegrass festival of the year.

  • Mendip Autumn Folk Festival 2-4th September 2011 is CANCELLED.

  • Singfest Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th September 2011, Mellow Farm, Dockenfield, Farnham, Surrey. A festival, but You make the music. It’s friendly and small scale and is based on workshops led by well established singers and musicians. You learn a selection of songs which you’ll perform on the Sunday afternoon. Everything is learnt by ear, so no there’s no need to be able to read music. Everyone’s welcome – you don’t have to be a member of a choir, just keen to sing! And like any festival ... there’s camping, plenty of local beer and cider and a large camp fire. On Saturday evening, there’s a Bar B Q and ceilidh.

  • THE BIG GREEN CARDIGAN 2-4th September 2011 is a new event created from the makers of the Black Horse Festival and Mrs Yarrington’s Music Club. It will take place over the weekend at a great new site set amongst the Sussex Countryside on Hawkhurst Road, Cripps Corner, East Sussex, TN32 5SA, which is just opposite Sedlescombe Organic Vineyard. It will offer the full festival experience which will include two stages, of which one will be the Black Horse Festival stage which will have acts associated to the BHF. Camping available Large car park. A line up of quality artists, A quality bar and good food at sensible prices. Plus a few surprises! Earlybird tickets will be available from January 2011.

  • Swanage Folk Festival, Dorset, 9-11 September 2011

  • La Grande Gennerie 12-16th September 2011 workshop in France with Jez Lowe, Folk Songwriting for Modern Times, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • La Grande Gennerie 19-23 September 2011 workshop in France with Brooks Williams, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • New Forest Festival 23-25 September 2011 at Minstead Study Centre with Apple Day on Saturday with music in the evening.

  • Tenterden Folk Festival Kent, 29 Sept-2 Oct 2011. Big Festival with names big and little, dancing and dancers, Craft Fair.

  • Lewes Folk Festival Lewes, Sussex 6-9 October 2011 A joint venture by the two Lewes Folk Clubs.

  • La Grande Gennerie 13-7th October 2011 workshop in France with Bill Whaley & Dave Fletcher, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended three years ago.

  • Durley Apple and Folk Day Saturday 29 October 2011 starting at around midday at Durley Memorial Hall: SO32 2AE. Tickets for the Evening Concert will be £7. Admission to the daytime event only will be free, but it is hoped that many of you will give to the locally-based charity 'Tools for Self Reliance', and many more stay for the Evening Concert (proceeds to TFSR) with Jigfoot (with Cath Watkins, see Melting Pot) and ZimmeRman (George Wilson performing Bob Dylan covers), Contraband and the Woodlands Village Band together with an Autumn 'Green Man' Mummers Play including Ian and Julie Nicholls and Three's Company with Peter Campion.

  • Hampshire Songs Event Saturday, 12th November, 2011 at Emery Down, New Forest. Featuring: Geoff Jerram, Tim Radford and The Askew Sisters. Day: Exhibition of period photographs in Village Hall. Afternoon Carol workshop based on carols collectd in the New Forest by Gardiner. This will be run by The Madding Crowd and take place in the Church. Evening: Concert featuring Geoff Jerram, Tim Radford and The Askew Sisters. Tickets in advance only. This will be held in the Church. More details Click here

  • 2012

  • SUSSEX All-day SINGAROUND Saturday 21 January 2012 from 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. The Royal Oak, High Street, Barcombe (near Lewes) East Sussex BN8 5BA. Free admission - good pub food on sale all day. First an hour of informal tunes while people arrive. Then the singing starts, finishing with a good hour of glorious choruses. Ballads & the occasional instrumental party piece will be very welcome too.

  • The above followed by an English Tunes Session on Sunday 22 January at the Elephant & Castle, Lewes - noon-3pm.

  • Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival 13th-15th January 2012 in Whittlesea, Cambs In Whittlesea, from when no one quite knows, it was the custom on the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the 1st Monday after Twelfth Night) to dress one of the confraternity of the plough in straw and call him a 'Straw Bear'. A newspaper of 1882 reports that "... he was then taken around the town to entertain by his frantic and clumsy gestures the good folk who had on the previous day subscribed to the rustics, a spread of beer, tobacco and beef". Suppressed after 1909, it was revived in 1980

  • STRINGS AT WITNEY 4th & 5th February 2012. Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass in Traditional Music. See also Bands and Voices at Witney (formerly the Village Music weekend).

  • Bursledon Music Festival Sat 4th Feb 2012 at Bursledon village hall ,Long Lane, Bursledon, Southampton. Live Music From 1200 to 2300 Licensed Bar, Home Cooked Food with Madison Heights, Paper Train, Southampton Ukulele Jam and David Phillips. Tickets £8or £15 for a family, from Bursledon Post Office or Black Cottage, Long Lane, Bursledon. Tel 02380 402787

  • The 16th Cheltenham Folk Festival 10-12 February 2012 with Dervish, The Albion Band, Brass Monkey and many more.

  • Frome Folk Festival Somerset 18-19 February 2012 - new event

  • THE 12th SWANAGE BLUES FESTIVAL - 2-4 MARCH 2012

  • Bournemouth Folk Festival 23-24 March 2012. guaranteed to fill your musical senses and put a huge smile on your face. The Bournemouth International Centre will play host to two jam-packed days of music and dancing with many famous and up-and-coming names.

  • Folk Weekend Oxford 20th to 22nd April 2012 (in place of the full-scale Festival which ceased). The Old Fire Station (all weekend), Church of St Michael’s at the North Gate (Saturday evening concert).

  • La Grande Gennerie 4-8 June 2012 workshop in France with Reg Meuross, one of the new series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended several years ago.

  • Isle of Wight Folkstation 6th - 8th July 2012, now to move to The Green Barn Field, Whitehouse Road, Porchfield, Isle of Wight.

  • La Grande Gennerie 9-14 September 2012 workshop in France with Ashley Hutchings and Blair Dunlop, one of the series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended several years ago.

  • La Grande Gennerie 23-28 September 2012 workshop in France with Martyn Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop, one of the series taking over from Martyn and Danni Wyndham-Read's 'La Jeusseliniere' series which ended several years ago.

  • See SCoFF 2010 Festivals List for web addresses for festivals not yet on the 2011/12 list.
    •
  • UK Folk Festivals national list by John Wright
  • The Fo'c'sle Festival List includes a few that don't make it to the national lists, and
  • The Folk Roots National Festivals Page includes all known folk and international music festivals in this country and Europe (updated annually mid-March).
  • Music Maker Festival guide (also to appear in March) Try also:
  • Irish-music.net CDs, Festivals, Summer Schools etc.

    • A SCoFF web page, © SCoFF 2010

    Constructed and submitted by Trevor Gilson

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