THE 37th Warwick Folk Festival got up and running yesterday (Thursday) with a superb line up of folk stars from around the world onstage at Warwick School until Sunday (July 24).
The Festival is expected to attract record numbers and tickets are selling extremely fast, especially for headline act The Unthanks.
Meanwhile organisers are offering one-night camping options for those that can only attend for one night.
For the first time the Festival is going back to its roots and staging a Thursday night ceilidh at The Court House in Warwick, home of the first Warwick Folk Festival events held back in the 1970’s.
This year the Festival is organising a dedicated programme of workshops, performances and activities for those aged 12 – 25. Run by ‘Shooting Roots’, who specialise in running youth workshops at festivals throughout the country, the events are suitable for all abilities.
New for this year is the Kids Zone which has been moved into one space on the main stage, close to the craft fair & food stalls.
A colourful festival within a festival, children can get crafty or learn circus skills and Morris dancing.
Families can also enjoy special shows from festival artists and theatre companies or even create new festival traditions by joining in with the Mumming workshop and writing a unique festival play.
As always visitors can see the best national and international artists from around the globe.
Artists include MANdolinMan, Belgium’s finest mandolin quartet, Korrontzi, traditional Basque music and dancing updated for the modern world, Compagnie Galouche Sword Dancers, skilled swordsmen and dancers from Belgium with their ritual sword dance – complete with wolf!, award-winning Le Vent du Nord, from Quebec, Allison Lupton and her band from Canada and a delegation from the twin festival in Cork, with the first UK appearance of the Cork Singers Club – spellbinding traditional songs in both Gaelic and English, including award winning Sean Nós singer Máire Ní Chéilleachair.
Tickets can be booked online and over the phone at the Bridge House Theatre Box Office
For more information please visit www.warwickfolkfestival.co.uk
