Welcome to the Swanage Folk Festival website
Swanage Folk Festival 2008 September 5th- 7th
Swanage 2007 is over. A year of planning, worrying and agonising culminated in a wonderful, warm, sunny weekend packed with wonderful music and brilliant dancing, not to mention a lot of happy people.
The 2008 festival kicks off on Friday 5th September with a concert in the main marquee on Sandpit Field. A variety of activities for children take place on the Sandpit Field over the weekend keeping them happy. Saturday at 3.30 pm features the procession of dance sides through the town, featuring somewhere in the region of 40 dance sides from the world of Morris, Apalachian, Clog, and maybe some more exotic dance styles.
Concerts and events are held at a variety of venues in the town centre, including the Conservative Club, The Corner Restaurant Cellar, The Committee Room in the Mowlem Theatre, St Mary’s Parish Church, and the main marquee on Sandpit Field.
Saturday night is the showpiece concert at the Middle School.
The line up for main concerts will be as follows:
Friday night: Pete Coe, Dave Pegg & PJ Wright, Dansaul Compere : Ben Campbell
Saturday night : Mad Agnes, Jez Lowe & the Bad Pennies, Little Johhny England Compere: Keith Donnelly
Sunday night: The New Scorpion Band Compere: Bob Kirkpatrick
For those with the energy to dance Saturday night away, our Sandpit Field Marquee will throb to the music of two great dance bands
Those wishing to perform themselves have opportunities at the White Horse festival Folk Club, or at sessions in pubs round the town, singing at the Red Lion with Derek Burgess, an Irish music session at the White Swan, and English music session at the Crow's nest.
For full weekend ticket holders we also have a late night session on Saturday with our festival artistes at the White Horse. Come and meet some of the stars and join them jamming the night away.
But if all this culture is too much we have the alternative delights of the colourful craft fair and events tent on Sandpit Field featuring a range of free bands over the Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The festival will be its usual diverse mixture of activities and experiences. There will be a feast of dancing on display throughout the town all weekend. A grand dance procession through the town will take place on the Saturday afternoon at 3.30 pm and Sunday morning will see the popular folk service at St Mary’s Church at 10.30am.
Once again we will be running a very wide range of dancing and music workshops over the weekend and the children will not be forgotten with a programme of activities and events. Learn circus skills or just watch the fun . If you would like to listen to some stories then pop in to the Library and join Mike O’Connor or become a prop in an impromptu play straight out of a bag!
Somewhere to Stay
You’ll need somewhere to stay and Swanage offers a wide range of holiday accommodation from posh hotels to more rustic campsites. If you would like some help finding the right place for you please contact the Tourist Information Centre. You can contact them by phoning 0870 4420680 or e-mail mail@swanage.gov.uk. For you IT buffs you can also visit the local web site at www.swanage.gov.uk. For those buying season tickets we have made special arrangements for you to book direct with local campsites when booking your weekend tickets.
For many years we have had a close link with the Campsite at Tom's Field, Langton Matravers and we recommend this site for camping, despite it's distance from the Sea front of approximately 2.5 miles. It is not suitable for touring caravans.
Herston Yard is closer to the town centre and railway halt, but has a lively bar that may cause some disturbance at night.
There are other campsites in and around Swanage and details of these can be found on http://www.touristnetuk.com/SO/dorset/accommodation/ac-camp/swanage.htm#swanage