It is the first mild day of March:
Each minute sweeter than before
The redbreast sings from the tall larch
That stands beside our door. William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
February may be the shortest month, but with its cold temperatures, high winds and endless, torrential rains, doesn't it seem to hang around? If nothing else, the long hours spent indoors provide us all with plenty of opportunities to practice our instruments, and learn and write tunes and songs and get our strength up for March, when the folk scene always seems to really spring into action. Welsh, Cornish and Irish musicians, singers and dancers celebrate their National Saints' days during this month, which also sees the Vernal Equinox - and also my birthday!
There are some fantastic festivals taking place across the UK and Ireland during March. Time to hit the road again, folks!
12th - 17th March
KILKENNY, CO. KILKENNEY. IRELAND.
KILKENNY TRADFEST
Kilkenny Tradfest has been going from strength to strength over the last eight years and 2020’s festival promises to be an exciting and innovative festival, full to the brim with concerts, céilís , sessions, irish dance, pub gigs and much more! Kilkenny comes alive with traditional music from 12th - 17th March, featuring some of the country’s top traditional music performers and offering concert goers unique opportunities to experience live music in some of Kilkenny’s most historic places.
Christy Moore, Andy Irvine & Paul Brady, The Kilfenora Ceili Band, Horslips, Zoe Conway, Donal Lunny, Mairtin O’Connor, Kila, Iarla O’Lionaird, Steve Cooney, Leonard Barry, Alice Jones and many, many more!
13th - 15th March
KINGS PLACE, LONDON, ENGLAND.
WILD SINGING
A weekend festival of folk music inspired by the natural world for Kings Place’s year-long Nature Unwrapped series.
Co-curated by Matthew Bannister’s award-winning Folk on Foot podcast, the weekend sees influential figures from the UK folk scene, Eliza Carthy, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan and Martin Simpson in evening concerts, preceded by ‘in conversation’ events with Matthew alongside film and footage from the podcasts, bringing together the podcaster’s three passions – folk music, walking and telling stories in sound.
Daytime events include performances from environmentally-inspired artists The Rheingans Sisters and Kitty Macfarlane and fascinating projects The Songhive Project and The Wilderness Yet.
20th - 22nd March
DUNKELD & BIRNAM, PERTHSHIRE, SCOTLAND.
NIEL GOW FIDDLE FESTIVAL
The 17th Niel Gow festival will be held from 20th - 22nd March 2020 in the beautiful and historic Perthshire village of Dunkeld & Birnam, home of Niel Gow.
Performers include: Aaron Jones, Adam Sutherland, Charlie McKerron, Dunkeld & District Strathspey & Reel Society, Marc Clement, Ruairidh MacMillan, Ryan Young, Sorren MacLean, Suzanne Houston
20th -23rd March
BALLYLIFFIN, CO. DONEGAL, IRELAND.
INISHOWEN INTERNATIONAL FOLK SONG & BALLAD SEMINAR
Eta Nash; Eugene Mooney; Treasa Ní Mhiolláin; John The Twin McNamara; Laoise Kelly; Lillis Ó Laoire; Members of the Inishowen Traditional Singers’ Circle; Clonmany Parish National Schools
24th March
WEST BRIDGFORD, NOTTINGHAM. ENGLAND.
POPPY FOLK DAY
Rosie Hood & Lucy Huzzard, Megan Wisdom, Tom Lewis and many more!
27th - 29th March
DENHOLME, ALLENDALE, NORTHUNBRIA. ENGLAND.
NONSUCH DULCIMER CLUB SPRING FLING
Location: Deneholme, Allendale, Northumbria
Concerts | Major Events | Workshops
The Spring Fling Workshop weekend follows the relaxed pattern established over previous years; with workshops during the day and informal sessions in the evenings. This is a smaller event in the beautiful surroundings of Deneholme in Allendale.
Our mountain dulcimer tutor is Gary Sager of Prussia Valley Dulcimers, Ohio. A popular mountain dulcimer player, Gary is a fine luthier of mountain dulcimers whose main interest is old-timey music. He is bringing his wife Toni who performs with him on autoharp, and there will be a chance to try out an autoharp over the weekend.
Damian Clarke is a well-known UK performer and teacher who lives in Dorset but travels the country playing hammered dulcimer and hurdy-gurdy. Damian sings accompanied by his dulcimer, and will teach accompaniment and arranging skills, as well as some great tunes from his repertoire. We have again invited our tutors to perform in an additional concert on the Sunday night. This was a popular add on last year and for those travelling farther afield was a great way to extend the weekend.
This is a very popular event so early booking is recommended. Our early bird deadline is December 7th 2019, after which prices rise; and the last booking date is 27th February 2020.