Burnham-On-Sea's FolkFest gets underway this weekend

Published: August 30, 2007
Burnham-On-Sea's FolkFest gets underway this weekend

Over 100 hours of live music and dance will be held in pubs and other venues across Burnham-On-Sea this weekend when the town's annual folk festival gets underway.

Folkfest 2007 runs from 31st August to 2nd September and features non-stop music acts and entertainment from across the South West.

FolkFest Chairman Graham Cook told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "Organisers are now making final preparations for this year's big event. It's going to be a busy, fun-packed three days."

The event gets underway on Friday evening with a concert at the Ritz Social Club when Irish Band Black Friday will be performing. This is the only ticket event during the whole festival and tickets, costing £6, are available from GC Music.

On Saturday, scores of music acts will perform at pubs across the town from 12.00am to 11.00pm. Venues include The Ritz Social Club, The Victoria Inn, The Railway, The Somerset and Dorset, The Lighthouse, Chaplins and The Old Pier Tavern. There will also be open mic sessions between 2.00pm and 9.00pm at the Royal Clarence Hotel on the seafront. [See the pubs schedule at the bottom of this page].

Also on Saturday, there will be workshops at the Baptist Church Hall (on the First Floor above the Folkfest Office) including 1.00pm - 2.00pm (American Tunes and Stylings/ Fiddle with Christi Andropolis); 2.00pm - 3.00pm (Beginning Slide guitar with David Newey); 3.00pm - 4.00pm (Folk Fiddling with Sam from Kerfuffle); and 4.00pm - 5.00pm (Clogging with Hannah from Kerfuffle).

Graham added: "We've brought the craft fair into the centre of the town this year, and will be closing off part of the High St between Adam St and Cross St on Saturday afternoon and introduced a new 'Kidzone' at the Methodist Hall on Saturday from 12.30-6.00pm, where family and children's entertainment will be on offer."

"We have three Appalachian clog dancers performing at the Baptist Church Hall throughout Saturday, plus more than 90 hours of live music in eight pub venues between 12.00 noon and 11.00pm, including acts from all over the country."

Graham added: "The Community Centre will be hosting a major arts and crafts show plus local history exhibition showing off all aspects of local history, art, hobbies and craft from 10.30am-4.00pm."

On Sunday, the annual Folk in the Park concert will start at 12 noon and will include music from Dragonsfly, Ron Trueman Border, Jackie Oates and Bag of Rats, plus the Chalice Morris Men, Tiger Feet Appalachian Clog and The Langport Mummers.

Burnham-On-Sea News