Proudly championing traditional music, dance and song since 1955, The Sidmouth Folk Festival continues to build on its many years of success in creating an inclusive music community that embraces variety – celebrating tradition in all its many forms, including the rich diversity of folk arts in the UK, from the grassroots to the cutting edge. Building on the return to a more familiar in-person festival in 2022, the 69th festival will see the many venues, streets and Esplanade of our glorious East Devon home burst into vibrant life with the finest in folk music, dance and song. The exciting week-long programme spans a huge range of genres and interests, featuring top tier concert stars, emerging talent, exclusive shows at The Manor Pavilion, dynamic ceilidhs and folk dances, a colourful array of dance displays, storytelling, In The Tradition events, Children’s Festival, Shooting Roots youth sessions, a huge range of participatory workshops and more. ‘It’s the diversity and community spirit that sets Sidmouth apart from other festivals – it has, as it says, an ear to the past and an eye on the future – it is steeped in tradition which is a most important part of Sidmouth – but not in a stuffy way, it keeps in touch with current stuff too. There is a community tradition​/​vibe you don’t get at other festivals – so much different stuff going on that any two people can go to The Sidmouth Folk Festival and have a completely different festival experience. The ad-lib stuff like songs & tunes on the bus, busking in the bus shelter, rapper dance in the bars in town, etc (part of the community spirit) is all part of what makes Sidmouth special. You have to go to Sidmouth Folk Week to get it, and when you do best to stay for the whole week to get the whole Sidmouth experience.” Expect the very best Sidmouth quality assurance stamp in each area of the festival with some fantastic headline concert and dance names from throughout the British Isles and beyond. The popular Pre-Festival concerts sees returning Sidmouth favourites, Cornish shanty grandmasters Fisherman’s Friends (Thurs 3th August, 7.30pm) and the queen of Scottish song Barbara Dickson with Nick Holland (Fri 4th August, 3pm matinée). First names on the main concert stage at The Ham include familiar gems like Festival Patrons Show of Hands, and the uniquely captivating harmonies of Lady Maisery, alongside impressive rising stars, including the vital, tender voice of Angeline Morrison, exploring black British experience in folk song. and the exhilarating alternative sounds of Dominie Hooper. Wait for the drop at the Bulverton with Scottish crowd-lifters Talisk and local hero Seth Lakeman. Experience new musical worlds on smaller festival stages with inventive tradition ground-breakers like Cerys Hafana and Suntou Susso…and so much more. Visit the What’s On Pages for more details of our first announcements. Website Link [HERE] (https://sidmouthfolkfestival.co.uk/)

Performers / Artists

FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS ~ BARBARA DICKSON WITH NICK HOLLAND SHOW OF HANDS ~ THE UNTHANKS ~ LE VENT DU NORD THE YOUNG UNS ~ SETH LAKEMAN ~ SKERRYVORE SALTLINES (GIGSPANNER BIG BAND WITH RAYNOR WINN) GRACE PETRIE ~ KATHRYN TICKELL & THE DARKENING CARA DILLON ~ LINDISFARNE ~ ELIZA CARTHY TRIO TALISK ~ PEAT & DIESEL ~ LADY MAISERY ~ LEVERET ~ MADDY PRIOR & THE FORGOTTEN LANDS BREABACH ~ MCCUSKER MCGOLDRICK DOYLE THE MAGPIE ARC ~ ANGELINE MORRISON BRÌGHDE CHAIMBEUL, ROSS AINSLIE & STEVEN BYRNES BLACKBEARDS TEA PARTY ~ VRÏ ~ TOPETTE!! ~ BANTER ~ TASHI LHUNPO MONKS CERYS HAFANA ~ DOMINIE HOOPER ~ JOHN TAMS ~ SAM SWEENEY OWEN SPAFFORD & LOUIS CAMPBELL ~ MADDIE MORRIS SHOVEL DANCE COLLECTIVE ~THE BROTHERS GILLESPIE ~ GOOD HABITS ~ ELLIE GOWERS ~ INTARSIA ~ NARTHEN CROWS ~ SISKIN QUARTET ~ LIZZY HARDINGHAM ~ SAMIA MALIK STEVE TURNER ~ BRAZEN THIEVES ~ IONA LANE ~ SAUL ROSE & JAMES DELARRE MISHRA & DEEPA NAIR RASIYA ~ JACKIE OATES JON WILKS ~ PAUL SARTIN TRIBUTE SUNTOU SUSSO ~ THE ENGLISH FIDDLE ENSEMBLE ~ FLO PERLIN FRANKIE ARCHER ~ PATAKAS (WILL & JOE SARTIN) CAMPFIRE SESSIONS LEWIS WOOD’S FOOTWORK ~ THE UNDOING OF POLLY BUTTON THE FOLK DETECTIVES (MATTHEW CRAMPTON & PAUL HUTCHINSON) CHRIS HOBAN 1918 – THE UNTOLD STORIES OF THE GREAT WAR HARP AND A MONKEY ~ MATTHEW CRAMPTON ~ REG MEUROSS & COHEN BRAITHWAITE KILCOYNE – STOLEN FROM GOD FROM PUB TO PULPIT ~ EXMOUTH SHANTY MEN RELENTLESS ~ BROWN BOOTS ~ STUMPY OAK ~ BANTER OUT OF HAND ~ NEW BEES ~ TOKEN WOMEN CROWDY-KIT ~ MRS MIDNIGHT’S ~ EFDSS WORKSHOPS CEILIDH BAND WHAPWEASEL ~ FLOWERS & FROLICS ~ THE BARBER BAND ~ JIGFOOT NICK WALDEN ~ BARRY GOODMAN ~ FEE LOCK ~ JANE BIRD ~ GEORGE SANSOME & MATT QUINN ~ THE MCCARTHY FAMILY ~ KATIE HOWSON JO FREYA ~ SARA GREY ~ PAUL DOWNES ~ JIM CAUSLEY ~ MEABH BEGLEY TRIO DEBS NEWBOLD ~ PAUL DOWNES & ANNIE WINTER COLIN & SONJA ANDREWS ~ BILL CRAWFORD ~ WILL FINN AND ROSIE CALVERT PETER & BARBARA SNAPE ~ DAN QUINN & MIKE BETTISON ~ PETE COE JANET DOWLING ~ PATRICK RYAN ~ KITTY VERNON & TIM EDWARDS SHEILA MILLER & MOIRA CRAIG WILL MENTOR (USA) ~ THE LINDA GAME BAND ~ BEARDED DRAGONS BROOKE FRIENDLY (USA) ~ VICKI SWAN AND JONNY DYER MATT NORMAN AND DAVE YEOMANS ~ RHODRI DAVIES ~ ANDREW SWAINE LYNNE RENDER ~ KEVIN AND CAROL MONAGHAN BRIDGET FLETT AND CHRIS TOYNE ~ TIM WALKER FAYRE PLAY ~ KERRY FLETCHER ~ CHRIS DYER ~ OSCINA JOHN KIRKPATRICK ~ SANDRA KERR ~ MARK CLARKE CREATIVE MAKING STEVE ROWLEY~ KITTY GREENWOOD AVTAR INDIAN DANCE ~ JO MAY ~ JOHN DIPPER ~ SAUL ROSE STEVE TURNER ~ LOUISA DAVIES ~ HANNAH MOORE NICK & MARY BARBER ~ JAMES DELARRE SQUEEZEBOX FROM SCRATCH (ED RENNIE & HELENA PAINTING) NORMA MILLS ~ PAUL SCOURFIELD ~ MATT NORMAN WILL ALLEN ~ MADDIE MORRIS BOB ELLIS & JANNETTE STEWART ~ ILSE PEDLER SHOOTING ROOTS ~ STREAM OF SOUND ~ HALSWAY YOUNG FOLK AURORA APPALACHIAN ~ BAMPTON TRADITIONAL MORRIS DANCERS BERKSHIRE BEDLAM ~ CHILTERN HUNDREDS CLOG MORRIS ~ CHINEWRDE MORRIS COMPASS ROSES (US​/​Canada) HANDSWORTH TRADITIONAL SWORD DANCERS ~ JD & FOLK LUASCADH IRISH DANCERS ~ NORTHGATE RAPPER ~ PECSAETAN MORRIS THE SHROPSHIRE BEDLAMS AND MARTHA RHODEN’S TUPPENNY DISH TOWER RAVENS RAPPER