We’ve had a blast this weekend – with festival highlights so far including a show-stopping Spooky Men’s Chorale spectacle, a beautiful intimate show from Steve Knightley and friends, and some energetic dance-floor action with Peatbog Faeries amongst many other great moments!

We are now looking forward to the week ahead at the 65th Sidmouth Folk Festival – and proud to present a superb week of headline concerts with some truly outstanding artists in their fields,  like the flawless Julie Fowlis and the firebrands Flook, roots dance parties with dance-filling masters Topette!!, Sam Kelly and Blackbeard’s Tea Party, ceilidhs, Children’s Festival fun, youth sessions, concerts on smaller stages featuring rising talent, traditional singers and musicians and a whole host of others.

There are two main evening gigs throughout the week, one headline concert at The Ham and a roots dance party up at The Bulverton. The week ahead looks like this….

Mon 5th August 

Julie Fowlis + Matthew Byrne at The Ham

Multi-award winning Gaelic singer, Julie Fowlis plus Canadian traditional singer, storyteller, and guitarist Matthew Byrne.

Topette!! Dance Night at The Bulverton

Raunchy, up-all-night, joyous jugular-grabbing dance music from the Anglo-French acoustic fivepiece.

Tues 6th August 

Flook + Lisa O’Neill at The Ham

Flook‘s fiery blend of flutes, whistles, guitar and bodhran, plus outstanding raw vocalist Lisa O’Neill

Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys at The Bulverton

Expect a barnstorming, dynamic live show from “one of the best folk bands on the scene.” Seth Lakeman

Weds 7th August 

Le Vent du Nord + Mama’s Broke at The Ham

A leading force in Quebec’s folk movement, Le Vent du Nord plus powerful young Canadian duo Mama’s Broke on their acclaimed debut UK tour. 

Seth Lakeman  at The Bulverton

No-nonsense, organic, classic folk-rock from Dartmoor’s own Lakeman, plus trademark foot-stomping, fiddle bow-shredding and soaring vocals.  

Thurs 8th August 

Richard Thompson (Solo Acoustic) + Kirsty Merryn  at The Ham

The fleet-fingered fretwork and evocative songcraft of Richard Thompson (Solo Acoustic) plus one of the most arresting and unconventional new young singer songwriters, Kirsty Merryn   

Blackbeard’s Tea Party at The Bulverton

A whole night of dedicated 10th anniversary fun with the big, bold Yorkshire folk rockers in an engaging, high-octane stage show, followed by a Late Night Extra ceilidh.

Fri 9th August  

Belshazzar’s Feast + Granny’s Attic at The Ham

Festival favourites and “one of folk’s great odd couples”  Belshazzar’s Feast plus English tradition played and sung with verve, energy and style from Granny’s Attic. Included in Week and Day tickets. 

But Sidmouth Folk Festival is not all about the main stages! You also have the chance to catch some great performances by established and rising talent at Ham lunchtime and afternoon shows, special events at The Manor Pavilion, left-field A Cellar Full Of Folkadelia afternoon series, EFDSS  Folk Rising Plus events, informal concerts at The Bedford, some great Family Evening shows and literally hundreds of other diverse programmed events. Download the programme to find which day or days work are the best options for you…and come and join in the birthday fun!

Artists appearing throughout the rest of the week include:

THE SHEE ~SAM SWEENEY: THE UNFINISHED VIOLIN ~ THE YOUNG ‘UNS: THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY LONGSTAFF  ~ MARTIN SIMPSON~NANCY KERR & JAMES FAGAN~EMILY PORTMAN & ROB HARBRON ~ TOKEN WOMEN ~ BRIAN PETERS ~ BROOM BEZZUMS ~ THE DARTMOOR ENTERTAINERS ~  DEBS NEWBOLD ~ TOKEN WOMEN  ~ RACHAEL MCSHANE & THE CARTOGRAPHERS ~ IONA FYFE ~ DEBS NEWBOLD ~ JIMMY ALDRIDGE & SID GOLDSMITH ~ BEN WALKER & ROB HARBRON ~ GRACE SMITH ~ THOM ASHWORTH ~ OWL LIGHT TRIO ~ MA POLAINE’S GREAT DECLINE ~ THE KIMBERLEYS ~  BURD ELLEN ~ KIRKOPHANY and hundreds more.  

We look forward to seeing you this week. Come all day to soak up the festive atmosphere throughout the town whilst you are enjoying events at Sidmouth