Warwick Folk Festival’ gears up for another successful year

With less than four weeks to go, the Warwick Folk Festival is gearing up for its most successful Festival yet. The Festival, which will celebrate its 35th year, takes place from Thursday 24 - Sunday 27 July at Warwick School. The festival is expected to attract record numbers and tickets are selling fast, especially for headline act Richard Thompson. The packed programme of over 130 events includes concerts, ceilidhs, workshops, a crafts and music fair and the return of Panic Circus. Plus there’s a vast array of colourful dance displays, pub music sessions and open air concerts in the historic town centre.

For the second year running the Festival is proud to be twinned with the Cork Folk Festival in Ireland. This association between these two established and renowned events was new last year and is a first for folk festivals. A delegation of musicians and storytellers from Cork will once again bring a flavour of their festival to Warwick next month. The Cork Folk Festival takes place from 2 – 5 October and is one of the most important folk and traditional music events in Ireland.

Top musicians will also be offering visitors the chance to learn tunes from their home traditions in 4 different workshops. Swedish music, with its growing reputation in the UK, is represented by musicians from Spelmän and Dansare på Dal, teaching Swedish fiddle tunes for any instrument. Festival goers can also learn about the music of Western Ireland from Róisín Bán. Less familiar traditions are offered by Habadekuk, winners of the 2013 Danish Folk Awards and Na Mara who will reveal tunes from Northern Spain and France. Tuneworks will run their acclaimed sessions for beginners and improvers using the core repertoire of British and Irish music.

Dick Dixon, Festival Director stated “Ticket sales are going exceptionally well and I would strongly urge anyone interested in attending to book their tickets now. We have some great headline acts this year including Richard Thompson, Breabach, John Tams, Barry Coope, Habadekuk Gordie MacKeeman & his Rhythm Boys plus Will Pound. The Festival has something for everyone and promises to be a superb fun-filled 4 day weekend of first-class entertainment for all tastes and ages”.

Festival tickets can be booked online. For more information, visit warwickfolkfestival.co.uk.