Hello out there to our fellow folk fans across the pond! If you’re going to be in Cambridge the last weekend in July, go ahead and snag your tickets to the world famous Cambridge Folk Festival, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. Held each year since 1965 in the beautiful setting of Cherry Hinton Hall, the Festival is renowned for its unique atmosphere and an eclectic mix of music (and a wide definition of what might be considered folk).
The best traditional folk artists from the United Kingdom and Ireland rub shoulders with cutting edge contemporary acts, the finest American country, blues and roots artists, acclaimed singer songwriters, famous names, and world music stars. Bluegrass, gospel, cajun & zydeco, klezmer, and ceilidhs are also regular features. The line-up has reflected the many changes in the music scene from the 60s to the present and is always a hotbed mix of the old and the new. The list of performers who have appeared reads like a who’s who, and the Festival continues to be a launching pad for many well-known artists. The initial 2016 lineup has been announced, with more artists to be added:
★★★ First names announced ★★★
Christy Moore (Sat)
Gogol Bordello (Fri)
Imelda May (Sun)
Glen Hansard (Fri)
Mary Chapin Carpenter (Sun)
Afro Celt Sound System (Sat)
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires (Sat)
Kate Rusby (Sat)
Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band (Sun)
Jon Boden (Thurs)
Songs of Separation (Sat)
Sam Lee & Friends (Sun)
Michael McGoldrick Band (Fri)
Blazin’ Fiddles (Sun)
Solas (Sat/Sun)
Edward II (Fri)
Le Vent du Nord (Fri/Sat)
Duncan Chisholm (Sun)
Kíla (Sat/Sun)
Breabach (Sat)
Hot 8 Brass Band (Sun)
Cash Box Kings (Sat/Sun)
This Is The Kit (Sun)
Stick In The Wheel (Sat)
Seafret (Thurs)
The Mike + Ruthy Band (Fri/Sat)
Will Varley (Thurs)
Lisa O’Neill (Fri)
Brian McNeill (Fri/Sat)
Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys (Sun)
Ímar (Thurs)
The Dovetail Trio (Thurs)
Flats & Sharps (Thurs)
★★★ Ceilidhs ★★★
Glorystrokes (Fri)
Steamchicken (Fri)
Silent Ceilidh (Sat)
★★★ Children’s Concerts ★★★
Funbox (Sun)
The BarrowBand (Fri)
★★★ Club Tent showcases including ★★★
The Rheingans Sisters
Hattie Briggs
Kelly Oliver
★★★ The Den including ★★★
Anna & Elizabeth
Ceilidh Liberation Front
Wildwood Kin
Mortal Tides
To book tickets, click here.
For more information, head over to https://www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/folk-festival.
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