Tenterden Folk Festival 2016
Thursday 29th September to Sunday 2nd October
Update from Alan Castle, Tenterden Folk Festival Director
The 24th Tenterden Folk Festival offers four days of folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions with over 50 events taking place from Thursday evening to late Sunday night and all in friendly venues. There are many free events in the streets, on the Recreation Ground and in the pubs. Where tickets are required the cost is kept low to enable everyone to enjoy a variety of events. Most venues are in, or just off, the famous wide High Street in the historic town centre. All are within easy walking distance of each other and of the campsite. The map in the free programme will help you find your way around the town and the diary section contains details of all the events.
If you are not familiar with the festival it is not just hundreds of folk singers and musicians crammed into the bars of the town centre pubs singing and playing to their hearts content and hundreds of Morris dancers and street entertainers outside; it is a lot more! The programme includes an English barn dance, concerts, folk clubs, meet the guests, workshops, dance displays, procession, free music stage (sponsored by GMP Accountants) and dance stage, plus craft, artisan and street stalls. A few of the other highlights include:
Thursday evening pre-festival concert:
Thanks go to Around Kent Folk magazine for sponsoring this year’s Thursday evening concert. This year’s special guest is Martin Carthy MBE, one of the best known and most respected singers on the folk scene.
Welcome barn dance (Friday):
The English barn dance is a regular and popular feature of the Festival. This year we welcome local band The Tonic who are joined for the evening by caller Keith Leech.
Beautiful Creatures Theatre: OCTOPOT
If you see something strange in the town centre on Saturday it could well be Octo-Pot, a larger than life seafood surprise! Thanks go to Applause Rural Touring for sponsoring this.
Sea songs and shanty events:
Sea songs and shanties are always a popular feature at folk festivals and our “Cinque Ports sea songs and shanties” session in the Tenterden Club on Saturday afternoon often sees the “House Full” sign go up. Shanties will also be heard in other events over the weekend including the Sunday Saddlery Folk Club.
United Folk Orchestras:
In 2014 The Yardarm and Sussex Folk Orchestras visited us for the first time and they are back this year as the United Folk Orchestra. You will find them in St Mildred’s Church on Sunday afternoon.
“Where Dragons Soar and other animal folk tales of the British Isles” features songs and stories based on Pete Castle’s new book published by The History Press
“Southern Harvest” concert celebrates the publication by Francis Boutle Publishers of a book bringing together the two volumes of songs originally sung to the Hammond Brothers in 1905-8. Songs from The Constant Lovers and The Foggy Dew will be performed by Bryony Griffith, Nick Dow, Keith Kendrick and Sylvia Needham.
Roy Harris Remembered
Roy (1933 to 2016) inspired, encouraged and mentored many of today's folk singers. He finally retired from full time touring 1999 but did do a short reprise tour in 2010 including a return visit to Tenterden Folk Festival. Festival guests gather to remember Roy and sing the songs he loved.
We Are The Women (left on the shore)
Scolds Bridle both originate from the Fylde coast in Lancashire and having lived near the sea all their lives have witnessed the demise of the fishing industry in the UK, the Fleetwood trawler men having been no exception. Sad and tragic tales that befell fishermen and their families.
Information:
Tickets are available online via the website www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk and also from the TIC at Ashford Gateway Plus and The Three Bears shop in Tenterden High Street. You should pick up a free programme soon. For other information contact info@tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk