With so many events, venues and opportunities to dance, sing, play and listen to choose from there’s no typical day at Sidmouth Folk Festival but here are some of our suggestions:

Morning

Get stuck into one of the many workshops, from American & English dance to the Festival Choir, shape-note singing, tin whistle, ukulele, poetry and so much more, pick a different one each day or immerse yourself in a whole series. Head for the morning singaround or storytelling circle or check out the new generation of folk at the EFDSS Presents concerts in Kennaway House.

Lunchtime

Work up an appetite at an Anchor ceilidh then head over to Blackmore Gardens to enjoy a delicious lunch, refreshing drink and enjoy a Chance to Meet one of the fabulous traditional dance sides at the Festival. Or you can sit back and relax at one of the lunchtime Ham concerts featuring headline acts such as John Tams or Angeline Morrison. At the Children’s Festival in Peacock Lawn the Young Performers Stage will be in full swing, or you can get ready for the evening sessions with more workshops including Well Known Tunes at a Steady Pace.

Afternoon

Head to the Ham to cool down with an ice cream and absorb more astounding music in the Afternoon Ham concerts (Maddy Prior & the Forgotten Lands and the Eliza Carthy Trio are selling particularly fast) or one of the Sidmouth Specials at the Manor Pavilion. Enjoy Euro and Early dance workshops or head back to the Anchor for more energetic ceilidh dancing.

Early Evening

Relax the pace a little, listen to a storyround session or one of the fascinating Arts Centre talks, or become engrossed in a craft workshop at Bulverton before the tricky choice of which street food to sustain you before the evening’s entertainment.

Evening

As the sun goes down the festivity continues. Contra, ceilidh, Transatlantic, Irish and more, you can choose to dance the night away, or party at Bulverton with acts such as Talisk or Seth Lakeman. Have a Traditional Night Out at the Arts Centre, join in the song at the Woodlands, or delight in first class concerts at the Ham, the Manor and the Cellar Bar Kennaway. The Bulverton is the place for late night revels, with opportunities to drink, dance and play under the stars, until heading for a rest and before starting the fun all over again. 

Event tickets now available include Ham lunchtime, afternoon and evening concerts, Pre-Festival special concerts, Bulverton evenings and some special afternoon & evening Manor Pavilion shows.

Be sure to book early to avoid disappointment for a top line-up of Ham evenings and afternoon concerts. Some events are set to sell out in advance. Ham headline acts during the week include: Show of Hands, The Unthanks, Lady Maisery, Breabach, Lindisfarne, The Young’uns, Cara Dillon, McCusker McGoldrick Doyle, The Magpie Arc,  Brighde Chaimbeul Trio, Vri and a special tribute to Paul Sartin.

The full festival programme will be out next month with the complete breakdown of all programmed events. In the meantime, download the Taster Programme and book your tickets.

We are all looking forward to seeing you back in Sidmouth.