In loving memory of our co-founder, Darren Beech (4/08/1967 to 25/03/2021)

Tag: Monique Clare

Bungay Folk Festival returns for its fourth year

Bungay Folk Festival

The Bungay Folk Festival returns for its third year this September 3rd to 6th and it is shaping up to be the biggest, boldest and best so far putting it firmly on the folk festival map. Almost 80 acts will be performing over the course of fout days with most of the concerts being free entry. The festival has added events on the Thursday to make it a four day event.

Churches, Pubs, Restaurants, Cafe’s, Community Centres, Gallery’s, Theatres and the grounds of a Castle will play host to the artists. Seldom has a town come together so co-operatively to make an event such a success.

As well as a wide range of artists  a vast array of workshops teaching people how to play anything from the Appalachian Dulcimer, Melodeon, Harp and Fiddle to the Ukulele, Concertina, Bodhran and even the spoons are available. Dance workshops include Step dancing, Balkan dancing and Indian dancing while you can also learn how to improvise, sing shanty songs, or become a songwriter. Many of the workshops are free and the rest are a mere £6.

The festival now runs from Thursday 3rd September until Sunday 6th September.

The festival starts in St Mary’s Church at 1.00pm on Thursday 3rd September with a recital in collaboration with Artistic Fields. At 4.00pm there will be a quarter peal by local bell ringers to announce the formal opening of the festival. There will be free music in various venues from 4.00pm including among others The Kitchen Band and The Ruritanian Cafe Orkestra. The evening show in The Fisher Theatre brings together two power houses of the folk world with Monique Clare and the festivals patron, Sam Kelly.

The free music continues into Friday with Adam Clark, Steve Turner, The Shackleton Trio,  The John Ward Trio, and Acaysha, among a raft of local performers. Festival organisers Pete Sewell and Vicky Lambert will also be appearing on the night in the guise of their folk duo Tumbrel. The workshops kick off on Friday morning as well with over 25 different song, dance and music ones to choose from. Chris Wood heads up the evening offering in St Mary’s Church with Oleg Fateev and Simone Sou in The Fisher Theatre.

Saturday 5th Sept brings some big names into town with Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth gracing St Mary’s Church in a collaboration with Sonic Wave, and Helian in The Fisher Theatre as well as Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, and Reg Meuross. Free concerts during the day around the town include Tamise, The Tin Giants, The Belles, Clare Bakewell, The East Suffolk community folk orchestra, Hunters Moon, Sleepy Dave Chaplin,and  Zingaro Blue.

The Rosemarie Barnard Chorus Shield makes its second appearance after a successful debut last year in The Three Tuns from 2 – 4.30pm

Most of the music during the day is free but the free events in The Fisher Theatre are ticketed so please visit the festival’s website to find out more details.

Sunday starts with a slow session in St Mary’s but the temperature soon hots up with the Folk Picnic on Sunday afternoon next to the castle. This is a free event. Feel free to bring your own picnic or should you wish to you can purchase tasty offerings from the food and drink vans on site. Acts appearing during the day include Sam Kelly, Detta Kenzie, and Daisy and the Continentals among others.

The Daria Kulesh Trio with local illustrator, James Mayhew; Christina Alden and Alex Patterson with Bungay Voices, round off the weekend on Sunday evening. If you have any energy left there is a final sing-around in The Three Tuns hosted by Mel to conclude what promises to be a jam packed exuberant, exciting, dynamic and diverse weekend.

Organisers Pete Sewell and Vicky Lambert have spent much of the past year putting the event together and are grateful to The East Suffolk council, The Town Trust, Bungay town council, Cultural connections, The Fisher Theatre, Crocks, The Earsham street cafe, and the Sizewell C tourism fund for their help and contributions.