Village

22nd - 24th JULY
Village
Pump
FOLLOW US
2016
Folk Festival
Contents
Director’s Welcome ............................................ p4
Welcome from our patrons ................................. p5
Venue Map ........................................................ p6-7
Ticketing and Box Office information ................... p8
Schedule: Friday .............................................. p9
Schedule: Saturday .......................................... p10-11
Schedule: Sunday ............................................ p12
Workshops ........................................................ p13
Special Saturday and the Family Festival ............. p14-15
Artist Information .............................................. p17-33
Morris information ............................................. p34-35
Beyond the festival ............................................ p36
Support us! ....................................................... p37
Acknowledgements ............................................ p38
Full programme and book online at...
villagepump.co.uk
Supported by

Welcome to
Folk Weekend:
Oxford
It’s always a slightly strange moment when I sit down to write the welcome for
our next festival – in some ways it feels like the last one has only just finished!
2015 was a fantastic and memorable year for many reasons (those of you who
remember the fire evacuation will know what I mean!) and I can’t wait to show
you what we have in store for you in 2016.
When I started Folk Weekend in 2012, my aim was to create a festival that the
local community felt a part of, and felt ownership of; I think (I hope!) we’ve
been pretty successful in that aim so far, as demonstrated by the hordes of
local artists who donate their time for free, the legions of volunteer stewards,
and the fantastic volunteers who sit on the organising committee all year
round.
However, Folk Weekend is more than just a festival. It is the flagship event of
Folk Arts Oxford, a not-for-profit company that I originally set up to ‘officially’
run the festival, but which has grown to encompass so much more than that.
We run a local listings website, support community music groups and aspiring
performers, and support disadvantaged people to access the folk arts. To learn
more about what we are doing, have a look at ‘Beyond the Festival’ on page
36, or go to www.folk-arts-oxford.co.uk/home, and please check out some of
our ‘Special Saturday’ events (see p14 for details).
Towards the end of 2015 we ran a big fundraising drive, urging people to
sign up as ‘Friends’ of Folk Weekend. Regular income like this is hugely
important for our long-term security, and for as little as £20 per year on an
annual subscription (less than £2 per month) you can make a big difference
to our future, and help us to continue bringing the best of the folk arts to
the local community. I’m delighted with the response we’ve had to our plea,
and to those who have already signed up – a massive THANK YOU!! If you’re
interested in becoming a Friend yourself please see page 37 of the programme,
or visit www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/friends.
I hope you have a really brilliant Folk Weekend – don’t forget to let us know
how it’s going by tweeting us @FolkWeekend or posting pictures to our
Facebook page facebook.com/FolkWeekendOxford or Flickr group. We’ll share
and retweet as many as we can during the weekend and afterwards.
Cat x
Jackie
Oates
Welcome to Oxford’s 5th Folk Weekend! This
is my fourth year as patron; I’m really proud to
support my local festival, and I’m very excited
about seeing so many exceptional musicians
from our own Oxford folk scene, as well as an
array of talent from further afield. This year’s
line-up includes some of my favourite artists,
so I’m very excited that I’ll be able to relax and
enjoy listening to them for a change!
Oxford is the perfect location for a festival;
with musical happenings cropping up amidst
all manner of settings. Wandering around the
city centre, you will find events taking place at
a variety of interesting places, including The
Pitt Rivers Museum, The Ashmolean Museum,
Blackwell’s Bookshop(!), and the beautiful
Wesley Memorial and St Barnabas churches.
As well as the ticketed events there are lots of things you can enjoy for free,
including many of the family events, and don’t forget the Morris dancers and
informal sessions which go on throughout the weekend.
It’s that time of year again when the streets
and pubs of Oxford ring out to the sound
of sticks clashing, squeezeboxes squeezing,
singers singing and bells jingling. Yes. It’s
Folk Weekend, and as I have been given the
privileged title of a patron I would like to
welcome you all, newcomers and regulars alike.
This year’s festival features some of my very
favourite artists and I cannot hide my jealousy
that you will all get to enjoy the stunning lineup
while I am out on the road with Bellowhead.
You may not know that the main reason for
Bellowhead splitting up is so I can attend next
year’s Folk Weekend!
Along with the main attractions of whirling
morris dancers and street performers, plus the
wide range of local and national talent in the
venues, I am very proud that Folk Weekend
also ensures that the festival is as inclusive as
possible, with special events for young families,
a signed folk song performance and the
promotion of special needs ceilidhs. I have been
privileged to play for one of these ceilidhs and
the sheer joy it can bring is amazing.
John
Spiers
Jackie
So get your instruments ready for the sessions, get your dancing shoes on,
prepare your ears for some gorgeous musical experiences and get stuck in!
I will see you all in 2017.
John

3
15
1 Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre
St Ebbe’s, OX1 1RL @deafdirect
2 Wesley Memorial Church
New Inn Hall Street, OX1 2DH @WesleyMemOx
3 St Barnabas Church
Cardigan Street, Jericho, OX2 6BG
4 St Columba’s Church & Church Hall
Alfred St, Oxford OX1 4EH
5 The Ashmolean Museum Lecture Theatre
Beaumont Street, OX1 2PH @AshmoleanMuseum (Sunday only)
Free Venues
6 The Pitt Rivers Museum
South Parks Road, OX1 3PW @Pitt_Rivers
2
5
8
7 Blackwell’s Bookshop
51 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BQ (in the Norrington Room)
@BlackwellsMusic
18
16
22
11
18
17
1
13
12
18
6
10 18
7
21
14
18
13
244
25
26
9
20
23
12
19
Main Festival Office
& information point
The Official Festival
Opening will take place
on the Ashmolean
Forecourt at 10am on
Saturday morning.
Venues where you can buy tickets
for any event and exchange
pre-bought season tickets for
wristbands – see p8 for details
Map & Venues
Morris Spots
8 The Ashmolean Museum (forecourt)
9 Blue Boar Street (outside The Bear)
10 Pitt Rivers/Museum of Natural History (outside main entrance)
11 Bonn Square
12 Broad Street (two spots)
13 Cornmarket (two spots)
14 The Covered Market (outside Hedges and Macsamillion)
15 Frideswide Square
16 Gloucester Green
Wristband-holder discount
These discounts are available to wristband holders, stewards, and Morris dancers in kit.
17 The Nosebag 20% discount (see advert on page 16)
Fantastic home-made vegetarian food.
18 Morton’s Sandwich Bars 10% discount
22 New Inn Hall St; Covered Market; 39 Little Clarendon St; 22 Broad St;
the University Natural History Museum, South Parks Road @MortonsofOxford
19 Blackwell’s Bookshop 10% discount OX1 3BQ
Session venues
20 The Royal Blenheim 10% discount (wristband holders, stewards and Morris)
A friendly pub with a good range of beer, and a menu that caters for special diets
21 The Crown 25p off a pint of ale (wristband holders, stewards and Morris)
Hosting our afternoon and early evening sessions
22 The White Rabbit
23 The Kings Arms
24 The Chequers
25 The Bear
26 St Aldates Tavern
Accessibility
All main and free venues have disabled access. Session pubs have varying access – please
enquire with them. All events are open to everyone; we have also marked events in the
schedule which are aimed at families, or particularly suited to people with Special Educational
Needs. Please see the schedules on p9-12, and more information on p15.
If you are not sure whether you will be able to attend a particular event please get in touch
on info@folkweekendoxford.co.uk and we will do our best to advise. If you are a wheelchair
user and are able to give us some notice of the events you wish to attend it will enable our
volunteer stewards to better accommodate your needs.
For further venue information please visit our website: www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk
For information on accessibility including large print downloads please visit
www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk/access-info

Tickets
Weekend
Season
Adult – £62
Concession* – £57
Youth (13–18) – £50
Friday
Day Season
Saturday
Day Season
Sunday
Day Season
Adult £28 £38 £30
Concession* £20 £30 £22
Youth £15 £25 £18
Prices for individual events are listed in the schedule.
Workshops are £5 and can be bought on the door
Entry to workshops is subject to space.
New for 2016: there is
NO central Box Off ice
At this year’s festival, you will be able to buy any ticket for any event
at ANY main festival venue! (See map on p6)
Buying tickets online
This year you can buy all of your tickets online right up until
an hour before each concert starts, and there’s no booking
fee! Simply print off your e-ticket and bring with you to
the festival. Season tickets will need to be exchanged for
a wristband (at ANY main festival venue) and individual
concert tickets will be collected at the start of the event.
Under 5s are FREE to all events.
Children aged 5–12 are FREE to all
events when accompanied by an
adult season ticket holder.
*Over 60s, Job Seekers Allowance, Carers Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, NUS
Please note we cannot accept credit or debit
card payments – cash or cheque only please.
Season tickets will be
on sale online until
5pm on Friday 15th
April.
www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk
Season tickets allow access to all events (subject to venue capacity) unless
otherwise stated. Season ticket holders are advised to arrive at least 10 minutes prior
to the start of a concert. Please be aware that we will be putting any remaining seats
on sale at this time.
We regret that we are unable to refund or exchange tickets. We
reserve the right to alter the programme at any time. A season ticket
does not guarantee entrance in to any particular event; you are
advised to arrive early if there is anything you are keen to see.
5pm
6pm
7pm
8pm
9pm
10pm
11pm
Wesley Memorial
Church
Doors 7:30pm
£15/£11
Tom Blackburn
Tobias Ben Jacob
& Lukas Drinkwater
Kathryn Roberts
& Sean Lakeman
Friday
St Columba’s
Church
Doors 5:45pm
Scandinavian
dance workshop
with Lucy
Huzzard
£5
Coldharbour
presents:
Scandinavian bal
with
Lucy Huzzard &
John Goodacre
£10 / 7
St Barnabas
Church
Doors 7:15pm
Ceilidh with
The Watch
and Nick
Walden
£10 / 7
Schedule
Oxford Folk Club open night at The White House
(not included in season ticket)
Sessions
Session in
The Crown
hosted by
Threepenny
Bit and
friends
Late night
session at
The Royal
Blenheim
Ticket enquiries contact: info@folkweekendoxford.co.uk
or during festival weekend the main festival office will be at the
Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre on St Ebbe’s.
12pm
9

Schedule
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
7pm
8pm
9pm
10pm
ODHHC
Main Hall
Saturday
Wes’ Memorial
Church
St Barnabas
Church
Blackwells
St Columba’s
Church
Official Festival Opening – Ashmolean forecourt. Premiere of ‘Green and Gold’
Doors 10.30am
Song de Raiz – International
folk song
project introduced by
Lauren Spiceley
£6/£4
Doors 1:15pm
£8/£4
Cat Kelly &
Pete Ord
Megson Family
Folk Show
Doors 5:15pm £8/£6
Irwing Brown Acty
Count Drachma
Doors 8:30pm
The Catweazle
Club
introduced by
Matt Sage
£8/£6
St Columba’s
Hall
Doors 11:00am
Pete Ord S Family & SEN
Inclusive Music
Ceilidh
Making Workshop
Small & Gold
with
£5
Doors 12pm
£12/£8
Abella and
Andy Rouse
Short Drag Roger £4
Simon Care
S Loreley
Melodeon
Workshop
£5
Kismet
Three Pressed
Men
Jo May
S Spoons
Workshop
Coope Boyes
Count Drachma
£5
& Simpson
F F
Doors 6:15pm
£15/£11
Small & Gold
Megson
Martin
Carthy
Doors 3:15pm
Afternoon
Ceilidh
with
Oxford
University
Ceilidh Band
£7/£5
Doors 7:15pm
Ceilidh
with
Simon Care
Trio and Andy
Rouse
£10/£7
Sacha Tomkins &
Andy Mathewson
Song Session
with
The Skeptics
Doors 5:45pm
French dance
workshop with
Lucy Huzzard
£5
Coldharbour
presents:
French bal
with
Steve Tyler
& Katy
Marchant
£10/£7
Ashmolean
Lecture Theatre
Saturday
Pitt Rivers
Annexe
Pitt Rivers
Gallery
Schedule
Sessions
– a new carol for Spring, with guests Summertown Morris, and Hobos Morris
Daria Kulesh –
Russian
folklore
Hook Eagle
Morris Border
Morris
workshop
F F
F F
F F
F F
F F
Lizzy Gibson Tiny
Tots Singing
F F
Pitt Rivers Craft
– Morris / Peg
Dolls
F F
F F
Maclaine
Colston & Kate
Rouse dulcimer
workshop
Scandinavian
session
in
The Crown
Session in The
Crown
hosted by
Ollie King
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
7pm
8pm
9pm
10pm
Late night
session in
11pm
11pm
S The Royal
10 = Special Saturday F = Family
Blenheim 11
(see p14-15)
Festival

Schedule
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
7pm
ODHHC
Main Hall
Doors
10:45am
The Big Sing
- Jackie
Oates,
Irwing
Brown Acty,
The Skeptics,
Ben Avison
£8/6
Doors 2:45pm
£12/£8
Rising
Voices
Ben Avison
Hannah
James’
JigDoll
17:35 - 17:55
Interval
Hannah
James’
JigDoll
Wes’ Mem.
Church
Doors 6:45pm
£15/£11
Blackwells
Okina
White Horse
Whisperers
Nostos
All Things
Considered
WindBeaten
Sunday
Ashmolean
Lecture
Theatre
Doors 12:15pm
£12/£8
Ollie King
Rosie
Sleightholme
Rachel
Newton
Trio
Pitt Rivers
Annexe
Jo May
Spoons
workshop
F F
F F
Simon Care
How
melodeons work
Pitt Rivers
Gallery
F F
Lizzy Gibson
Tiny Tots Singing
Fiddles &
Feet
Pitt Rivers
Craft
Mini
Maypoles
F F
F F
Sessions
French
session in
The Crown
Hannah James’ JigDoll: Meet the Technology
Pete Ord: Inclusive music-making
Welcome to a whole new world...
Pete Ord will introduce you to a wildly
different way of making music. Pete will
guide you through a simple folk song,
playing and singing using a variety of
high and low-tech technologies including
SKOOG, Soundbeam, Talking Tiles,
and Garageband. Particularly suitable
for people with Special Needs and
disabilities, but open to all.
(If you have an iPad you’d like to bring,
then please do!)
Workshops
Much more than a concert, JigDoll uses newlycomposed
music and innovative stage techniques
to weave a magical atmosphere around percussive
dance. In this session Hannah will introduce you to
the techniques she used to build the music live using
loop pedals and instruments.
Jo May: Spoons workshop
Come and explore the contents of your cutlery drawer
with Jo May’s spoons workshop, with music and song
from Frances Watt. A chance to develop your spooning
skills – from teaspoons to serving spoons. Spoons
provided but feel free to bring your own if you’d like to.
No experience necessary, sense of humour essential!
Lucy Huzzard: Eurodance
Simon Care: Melodeon workshop
Playing for dance. Join legendary box
player Simon Care as he explores the
intricacies of playing for dance on the
melodeon, sharing his top tips for playing with
energy and enthusiasm whilst maintaining
good rhythm. This workshop is aimed
primarily at musicians who play (or aspire
to play!) for dance, and assumes you are
confident with the basics of the melodeon.
Jigdoll: Meet
the technology Molly Evans
with Hannah
James £5
We’re very excited to have two evenings of
8pm
European style dancing at Folk Weekend this
year. If you’re new to this sort of dance, then
Survivors
Emily
come along to our workshops beforehand
Portman
Session and
9pm
Trio
where you can learn the basic steps. Friday is
After Show
Party
Scandinavian night, where you can learn dances
James Bell &
such as the schottis, polska, vals, slangpolska
The Half Moon
and långdans. On Saturday we head to France;
All-Stars
10pm
look out for the mazurka, bourrée, valse,
schottische, polka, hanter dro and much more.
12 12 13
S S

Family Festival
Special
Saturday
At Folk Weekend we believe the arts are for everyone, and
we’re committed to making the festival as accessible as
possible. Everyone is welcome to any event, but if this is your
first time at the festival or you’re not sure whether a main
concert is the right thing for you, we’ve got three ‘Special
Saturday’ events which are particularly suited to
people with Special Needs and their families.
If you like to get hands-on with your music-making, try Pete Ord’s Inclusive musicmaking
workshop on Saturday morning in St Columba’s Church Hall. Pete will be exploring
some of the different ways that technology can be used to help people with Special Needs to
enjoy making music. If dance is more your thing, head down to St Barnabas Church for our
Family & SEN ceilidh where experienced caller Andy Rouse will guide you through a some
simple dances, suitable for all abilities, and easily adapted for wheelchair users and people
with other mobility problems. And if you’d rather just relax and listen to some music, then
you might like Cat Kelly & Pete Ord’s Makaton-signed folk songs in the Oxford Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Centre – which is followed by the fantastic Megson with their Family
Folk Show. For timings see the schedule on p10-11 and look out for the ‘SS’ symbol.
There’s something for everyone at Folk Weekend; as well as a number of exciting concerts
within the main festival, The Pitt Rivers Museum are once again hosting a packed programme
of free family workshops and of course the ever popular family ceilidh is back!
To make it even easier for families to enjoy the festival together, all children under the age
of 12 get FREE entry to any event on the programme when they are accompanied by an
adult with a valid day or weekend season ticket. Individual event tickets are priced at Adult /
Concession rates.
Here are some of the delights on offer for you at Folk Weekend 2016...
Make some noise!
Spoons workshop
The whole family can explore the contents of the
cutlery drawer with Jo May’s spoons workshop!
This will be a chance to develop your spooning
skills, no matter your size – from teaspoons to
serving spoons! Spoons provided but feel free to
bring your own if you’d like to.
Tiny Tots Sing
Pitt Rivers Museum
Pitt Rivers Museum
S S
Chilling Out
Megson Family Folk Show
Family Festival
Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre
Award-winning folk duo Megson blend their infectious mix of heavenly vocals and lush
harmonies into a gentle, entertaining concert specially for children, featuring children’s folk
songs old and new from their ‘When I was a Lad’ album.
Exploring instruments
Pitt Rivers Museum
If you’re itching to have a closer look at some real instruments, then come along to these
new workshops – on Saturday join Maclaine Colston and Kate Rouse for an introduction to the
hammered dulcimer, and on Sunday it’s Simon Care with his box of melodeons. Listen to some
music, ask questions, and even have a go yourself!
Russian folklore
Pitt Rivers Museum
We are delighted to welcome Folk Weekend regular and acclaimed singer-songwriter Daria
Kulesh, telling the story of her own family history in Russia, and how she came to explore her
own past with the music she makes today.
Song de Raiz
Oxford Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre
Song de Raiz (Song of Roots) is a musical exchange project; primary school children from
Oxfordshire have been learning folk songs from their own country and a partner country.
The children have sent recordings of songs, letters, photos and video, and discovered friends
around the world. In a special celebration at the Folk Weekend, the children will be performing
a selection of songs from the UK, Nicaragua and Brazil alongside professional musicians.
Dance off some energy
Family and Special Needs ceilidh
St Barnabas Church
Our family ceilidh is always popular, and this year we are particularly focusing on making it
extra-inclusive, so that EVERYONE can join in. Ceilidh dancing is similar to country dancing
– the dances are taught and all the steps are practised before the music starts. Wheelchair
users are welcome, and dances will be adapted to make sure they are accessible for everyone.
Morris workshop
Pitt Rivers Museum
Hook Eagle Morris Men aren’t as scary as they look – promise!
They are favourites at Folk Weekend with their high-energy
dances; come and have a go at Morris dancing in the Welsh
Border style – which means lots of banging sticks and shouting!
Get your hands dirty
If you’re a small person with a big voice, why not try our Tiny Tots singing sessions (aimed
at under 5s) for actions, instruments, and puppets! These sessions are expertly led by
Whether it’s Morris dolls or jingly maypoles, the Pitt
singer (and mum of two!) Lizzy Gibson.
Rivers staff have got a full box of crafty fun, for those
14
who like to get a bit more hands on. Drop in any time
during these sessions to have a go for yourself.
15
S S
S S

Abella
Artists
A-Z
Bring together melodeon, hammered dulcimer, flute, sax, fiddle, harp and piano, mix
in an eclectic range of tunes and cement together with years of experience, and you
have Abella! The unique blend of instruments provides an infinitely variable and very
danceable sound, presented with love and care by skillful musicians who are also
enthusiastic dancers. St Barnabas Church, Saturday 11.30am
6-8 St Michaels Street, Oxford
Tel no 01865 721033
www.nosebagoxford.co.uk
We are one of Oxford’s longest established
independent restaurants.
Our specialties include casseroles, lasagne, patés
and soup, a very extensive range of salads,
and a scrumptious selection of cakes.
All our food is made on the premises and
half our menu is vegetarian.
We always offer vegan, gluten free and
dairy free options.
Lunch £4.95 - £9.95 Dinner £4.95 - £12.95
Mon – Thu 9.30am – 9.30pm
Fri & Sat 9.30am – 10.00pm
Sun 9.30am – 8.30pm
Special Offer
Show this advert at the time of purchase to
receive a 20% discount
Valid on 15-17 April 2016
Andy Rouse
Andy Rouse has a wonderful repertoire of dances
to cater for all standards and tastes, with bags of
energy and enthusiasm to get everyone dancing.
He is also one of our MCs.
Led by vocalist Emma Baldwin
- whose haunting tones have been
likened to Natalie Merchant, All
Things Considered comprise driving
fiddle player Gethin Webster, intricate
acoustic guitarist Adrian Holden,
soaring cello from Andrew Richardson
and the groove based, almost tribal
percussion of Phil Daniels. Their bold
sound and wide musical influences
make them both a distinctive, yet
very accessible act – with their music
reaching a diverse audience.
Blackwells, Sunday 2.15pm
Ben Avison
St Barnabas Church, Saturday 11.30am and Saturday 7.30pm
All Things Considered
Ben grew up in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and has recorded and performed with a
number of artists, including Bhundu Boys legend Rise Kagona. Now living on a boat in
Oxford, he is a key figure in the city’s thriving music scene.
ODHHC, Sunday 11am
16 17

Artists A-Z
Cat Kelly and Pete Ord
S S
ODHHC, Saturday 1.45pm
Well-established at Folk
Weekend (albeit usually
behind the scenes!), this duo
of outstanding musicians are
passionate about making folk
music accessible to all.
Cat and Pete perform
regularly in Special Needs
schools with their unique mixture of Makaton-signed folk song together with joyfully
interactive chorus songs and shanties; festival regulars may have seen them last year
with their full band Iris, giving Folk Weekend’s first relaxed performance. Both members
of ceilidh band Triptych, their music has an infectious energy, contrasted perfectly
with a handful of poignant songs – even more moving when accompanied by Cat’s
expressive signing.
Coldharbour
Artists A-Z
Coldharbour (Matt Coatsworth, Joe Wass
and Hinny Pawsey) is an exciting new
Oxford-based band playing music from the
European couple dance traditions. All three
players have a passion for great dance
music, and they revel in finding the magic
ingredient which can lift the feet, and the heart. Matt is a member of the renowned
Playford ensemble Boldwood, and Hinny and Joe often perform together for Eurobal
events around the UK. St Columba’s Church, Friday 7.30pm and Saturday 7.30pm
Coope Boyes and Simpson
Whether breathing new life to older traditional
songs or through their own incisive songwriting,
Coope Boyes & Simpson’s powerful and distinctive
unaccompanied singing have taken English roots
into radical new directions. Described as “quite
simply the best purveyors of a cappella song on
these Islands”, the trio’s first record was the rock
magazine Q’s Roots Album of the Year – their live
subsequent solo and joint releases have led to awards and outstanding reviews across
classical and popular genres. Now working on a new album, this performance gives
you the chance to hear the results of their latest songwriting.
Daria Kulesh
Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 2.30pm
Willem Defijn
Count Drachma
Count Drachma play Zulu & Xhosa, Maskandi
style interpretations of folk songs from many
traditions, including Bantu, Ndebele, Gaelic &
Appalachian - the only band in Britain doing so
right now. Playing traditional Zulu & Xhosa folk
songs over psychedelic pop beats, as well as
their own translated & original material, they
offer a truly unique glimpse into the musical
melting pot of cosmopolitan South Africa.
ODHHC, Saturday 6.15pm
Blackwells, Saturday 2.30pm
Russian-born but now settled in Kings Langley, Daria Kulesh combines a “refined and
cut glass crystal voice” with strong Russian heritage, conjuring a beguiling romanticism.
Daria has a personal link to the songs she sings through complicated, severed and
disrupted family ties, which injects them with raw passion and power.
18 19
Pitt Rivers Annexe, Saturday 12.30pm

Artists A-Z
Emily Portman Trio
Emily Portman is the 2013 holder
of the BBC Radio Two Folk
Award for Best Original Song; an
accolade which reflects her power
to lure listeners into a complex
and darkly surreal netherworld.
Her ethereal voice and the trio’s
enchanting harmonies belie
a world of dark storytelling, cruel deeds and sordid city landscapes, part inspired by
traditional balladry and part by rich literary sources. The trio, featuring Emily, Lucy
Farrell and Rachel Newton, bewitches audiences with sirenic harmonies and haunting
arrangements for harp, concertina, banjo, strings and saw.
Fiddles & Feet
Elly Lucas
Pitt Rivers Gallery, Sunday 12pm
Wesley Memorial Church, Sunday 8pm
Fiddles and Feet has been running as a group for young fiddle players in Bampton and
nearby since 1998. Led by Felicity Cormack, a local fiddle teacher, it caters for young
people from 8- 14 years who are musically gifted in playing by ear and from memory.
Hook Eagle Morris Men
Artists A-Z
Hook Eagle Morris Men are very happy to be starting their Silver Anniversary season
at Folk Weekend: Oxford. Formed in 1991 for a Church fundraiser, no one expected
Hook Eagles to continue for 25 years, but here they are! Bold, brash, and always fun.
Jackie Oates
Pitt Rivers Annexe, Saturday 2pm
Irwing-Brown-Acty
Folk Weekend: Oxford 2016 sees the launch
of an exciting new collaboration between the
musical talents of Sue Brown and Lorraine
Irwing (renowned for their magical harmonies
and inventive arrangements) with Joanne Acty
(formerly of Magpie Lane). Expect to hear fine
and unusual versions of English songs and
ballads in rich, haunting, acapella harmony.
ODHHC, Saturday 5.30pm and Sunday 11am
We are delighted to welcome our patron Jackie Oates to Sunday’s Big Sing. She was
all modest and didn’t want a write up in the programme, but we couldn’t let her get
away with it completely..! ODHHC, Sunday 11am
Hannah James
Hannah James has emerged
as one of the most imaginative
and adventurous artists on
the folk scene. First coming to
national attention as accordion
player and singer with the
band Kerfuffle, she was in an
acclaimed duo with Bellowhead’s
Sam Sweeney, is a member
of female vocal harmony
trio Lady Maisery, and has
worked with folk legend Maddy Prior in the trio 3 for Joy. Jig Doll is Hannah’s first solo
adventure; a beautiful new show inspired by the life of the travelling player: sometimes
exotic, sometimes frightening, it’s a world where home changes daily, and the only
touchstones are the skills you carry with you and the people you meet on the way.
ODHHC, Sunday 5pm and Sunday 7pm
20 21

Artists A-Z
James Bell
James Bell is a notorious local folk singer, who performs traditional material as well
as his own songs, all in his own inimitable style. James will be MCing for us, as well
as bringing along his band The Half Moon All-Stars to get the fun started at our
After-Show Party.
Jane Bird
Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
Voted ‘Best Duo’ in the 2013 BBC Radio
2 Folk Awards, the Roberts-Lakeman
name has become synonymous with
“quality” during their musical careers,
which started when they were signed to
a major label as teenagers. Now after
nearly two decades in music, Kathryn’s
sublime vocals merge seemlessly with
Sean’s deft and inventive live guitar work
on stage – and his award-winning sonic
skills in the studio. In addition to his
chart-topping hit records for brother Seth
Lakeman, Sean has produced tracks with
The Levellers, Billy Bragg, Frank Turner,
Imelda May and Bellowhead as well as a
string of other folk/acoustic acts.
Wesley Memorial Church, Friday 9.45pm
Kismet
ODHHC, Sunday 8.30pm
Jane Bird is a locally-based caller, musician and singer.
As well as managing stewards in St Barnabas all
weekend Jane has also agreed to MC for us!
One of Oxfordshire’s well-established folk favourites, Kismet play material from their
recent album ‘Feast’ which celebrates both the land and the spiralling seasons of the
year. Enjoy a wonderfully rich and diverse program of rousing tunes, haunting airs
and stirring songs inspired by the light and effervescence of Spring and the beautiful
darkness of Autumn.
Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 1.15pm
Blackwells, Saturday 12.30am
Loreley
Artists A-Z
Since forming in 2014, the duo of
Maddy Glenn (vocals, percussion,
whistles) and Simon James Chisholm
(mandolin, guitar, dulcitar, concertina)
have already made waves in their
local folk scene in Berkshire. Loreley’s
unique blend of traditional folk lyrics
from the British Isles and new music
of their own composition is sure to
excite and delight.
Lucy Huzzard and John Goodacre
Lucy has recently returned from a year in Sweden studying dance and now teaches
Swedish dance and melodeon in Sheffield; John is a young musician with a wealth of
experience playing for dance, performing in bands including Trip The Light and The
Savage Prunes. St Columba’s Church, Friday 6pm and Friday 7.30pm and Saturday 6pm
Lizzy Gibson
Lizzy is an early years educator and folk singer
who having spent most of her 20s living and
working in Oxford, now lives (and sings!) in
Bracknell with her husband and two young sons.
22 Pitt Rivers Gallery, Saturday 12pm and Sunday 11.30am
23

Maclaine Colston and Kate Rouse
Artists A-Z
Pitt Rivers, Sunday 3pm
Maclaine (Eliza Carthy and the Kings of Calicutt, Cythara, Random) and Kate (KARA,
Ange Hardy) are a pair of hammered dulcimer players determined to bring the
instrument to a wider audience. Come and see for yourself in the Pitt Rivers Museum
– you can even have a go!
Three times nominated in the BBC Radio 2
Folk Awards and double winners of the Spiral
Earth Awards, Megson draw heavily on their
Teesside heritage to create a truly unique
brand of folk music. The husband and wife
duo bring an infectious mix of heavenly vocals,
lush harmonies and driving rhythmic guitars.
Comprising Debs Hanna (vocals, whistle, piano
accordion) and Stu Hanna (guitar, mandola,
banjo) Megson have gained fame on the
British folk scene, not only for their arresting &
intelligent songwriting, but for their exquisite
musicianship and northern humour.
Martin Carthy
For more than 40 years Martin
Carthy has been one of folk
music’s greatest innovators,
reflected in his Lifetime
Achievement Award at the BBC
Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014. His
skill, stage presence and natural
charm have won him many
admirers, not only from within the
folk scene, but also far beyond
Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 8.45pm
it. Martin is a ballad singer, a
ground-breaking acoustic and electric-guitarist and an authoritative interpreter
of newly composed material. Perhaps, most significant of all, are his settings of
traditional songs with guitar, which have influenced a generation of artists, including
Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, on both sides of the Atlantic. “Arguably the greatest
English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all’’ – Q Magazine.
Megson
ODHHC, Saturday 3pm
24 Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 7.30pm
26
25
Rob Bridge

Artists A-Z
Mike has performed as a singer and session leader for many years in England
and Wales. We’re delighted to welcome him back to MC for us.
Molly Evans
Molly Evans is a lively young
singer and fiddle player from
Cheshire with a largely traditional
repertoire, known for her strong
voice and distinctive song settings.
Described by Bright Young Folk as
“an exciting sound”, her self titled
EP is lauded “a promising debut
from a fine musician”.
Nick Walden
Mike Gibson
Wesley Memorial Church, Sunday 7pm
Nick is one of the country’s most popular ceilidh callers,
and we’re delighted to welcome him (and his very
exciting shirts) to Folk Weekend. St Barnabas Church, Friday 7.45pm
Nostos
Blackwells, Sunday 1.15pm
Òkina
Artists A-Z
Nostos (Greek for a homecoming) is an amateur singing group formed in 2012 as
an attempt to bring together people interested in the rich vocal tradition of Greek
music. Since then it has welcomed an enthusiastic bunch of Greek and non-Greek
singers and instrumentalists. With an eclectic repertoire of modern and traditional
songs, Nostos invites you to a feast of mesmerizing sounds and rhythms in a musical
journey from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.
Òkina is an amorphous selection of
musicians from Oxford who create
intricate music which combines
folk, jazz and electronica. Vocal
harmonies, Greek bouzouki, guitar,
drums, upcycled sounding objects
and various other percussion
instruments come together in a
vibrant ensemble of sounds.
Blackwells, Sunday 11.15am
A Ardington
School of Crafts
Traditional and Contemporary
Short courses with craftspeople
Huge range of workshops
Beginners very welcome
Ollie King
Oxford University Ceilidh Band
Fast emerging as one of England’s brightest new
traditional instrumentalists, Ollie is gaining extensive
attention across the folk scene. With musical skill
beyond his years, along with knowledge and enthusiasm
for the English tradition, Ollie effortlessly combines his
distinctive melodeon playing with traditional and in-thetradition
songs, entertaining audiences wherever he
plays with his skilful and emotive delivery.
Founded in 2011, the OUCB is a friendly non-auditioning band that gives its
members the opportunity to play a wide variety of folk music, whether or not
they have ever done so before. They played a storming evening ceilidh last
year, and this year they’re back in our new afternoon slot.
www.ardingtonschoolofcrafts.com
26 01235 833433 OX12 8PN
27
Elly Lucas
The Crown, Saturday 6pm and The Ashmolean Lecture Theatre, Sunday 12.45pm
St Barnabas Church, Saturday 3.45pm

Artists A-Z
Rachel Newton
Pete Ord
Pete has worked in Special Needs music for the best part of a decade,
specialising in music and assistive technologies, with an emphasis on
communication. He was one of the first graduates of the Post Graduate
Certificate in Music and Special Needs, and has done pioneering work with the
Sounds of Intent assessment system. St Columba’s Hall, Saturday 11am
Founder member of The Furrow
Collective, The Emily Portman Trio and
The Shee, singer and harpist Rachel
Newton also writes and performs her
own solo material, releasing albums The
Shadow Side in 2012 and Changeling in
2014. With her trio – featuring Lauren
MacColl on fiddle and Mattie Foulds on
percussion – Rachel performs songs in
English and Scottish Gaelic alongside
original instrumental compositions.
A skilled collaborator, Rachel recently started working with Scottish/Norwegian band
Boreas and was one of the eight musicians to work on The Elizabethan Session project.
Rising Voices
Directed by local harpist Steph West, Folk Weekend’s own community choir
can always be relied upon to bring a smile to your face. Rising Voices perform
without accompaniment; the repertoire is largely based in roots and traditional
music, mostly from England but occasionally from further afield and even the
odd cheesy pop song!
ODHHC, Sunday 3pm
S S
The Ashmolean Lecture Theatre, Sunday 2.30pm
Rosie Sleightholme
The words ‘haunting’, ‘mesmeric’, ‘quirky’,
‘exceptional’ and ‘brilliant’ have all been
used to describe multi-instrumentalist Rosie
Sleightholme, whose voice has been compared
to the likes of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez.
Highlights over the last few years include
live sessions on BBC Radio, performing at a
number of UK festivals, and solo tours around
Ireland and Scotland.
The Ashmolean Lecture Theatre, Sunday 1.30pm
ELY OUTDOOR CENTRE
ELY·CAMBS·CB6 2SH
Altan ~ Dougie MacLean
Edward II ~ The Young’uns
Martin Simpson ~ Steamchicken
Chris & Kellie While ~ RURA
Monster Ceilidh Band ~ Mawkin
and many more…
MORRIS DISPLAYS, REAL ALE BAR, TRADE STALLS, WORKSHOPS,
DANCES, CHILDRENS’ ENTERTAINMENT
• Season tickets £69
(£79 after 31 May)
• Concessions available
• 10-17yrs reduced price
• Day Tickets available
* All Artists booked subject
to contract
Box Office: www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk
Telephone: 01284 758000
Sacha Tompkins and Andy Mathewson
This new duo brings together two performers from
widely differing musical backgrounds; Sacha is a
music graduate from St Hilda’s College, and Andy a
self-taught fingerstyle guitarist, singer and songwriter.
Since meeting last year, the pair have been working
hard at putting a set together and getting themselves
in front of delighted folk club audiences.
St Columba’s Hall,
Saturday 12.30pm
Pitt Rivers Annexe,
Sunday 2.30pm
St Barnabas Church,
Saturday 7.30pm
Simon Care Trio
Blackwells, Saturday 10.30am
It has always been a source of amusement that the Simon Care
Trio has four members; well, personally, we call that value for
money! The band comprises melodeon maestro Simon Care
(ex-Albion Band, Whapweasel, Tickled Pink and Edward II), with
Guy Fletcher, Tom Wright, and Mark Jolley. The acoustic beauty
of SC3 combined with the power and drive of its big brother
Tickled Pink, makes it a danceable powerhouse. As well as
being a member of many bands, Simon Care is an accomplished
workshop leader, and mentors new melodeon players for The
Stables in Milton Keynes; he’s giving away his top tips on
playing for dance in his melodeon workshop this weekend!
28 29

Artists A-Z
Short Drag Roger
The darlings of the Oxfordshire Women’s Institute,
these hunks of testosterone travel the country singing
at festivals, fundraisers, parties and corporate lunches.
Formed 15 years ago, there have been some crew
changes, but they are moving from strength to strength
singing a capella harmonies without the use of a safety
net. These guys may be landlocked but sing both new
and traditional Sea Shanties and Sea Songs from the
days of sail as if born to the sea. Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 12.30pm
The Skeptics
The Skeptics are an a capella trio with a distinctive style.
Formed five years ago they delight audiences across their
native Oxfordshire performing a miscellany of songs which
draw on their varied musical pasts. Working under the
adage that anything done more than once is traditional,
The Skeptics add their folk-fusion twist to a range of
“traditional” songs you may just recognise from elsewhere!
Small & Gold
Song de Raiz
Blackwells, Saturday 3.30pm and ODHHC, Sunday 11am
Small & Gold are a country/alt-folk
band formed of four sisters from
Oxfordshire. With 4-part harmonies
and a variety of instruments including
banjo, mandolin and guitar, their
music is heavily influenced by the
likes of Old Crow Medicine Show,
Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling and
Bob Dylan. They write songs that
cover a range of topics, including
travelling, relationships and
appreciating where you’ve come from.
Wesley Memorial Church, Saturday 6.45pm
and Blackwells, Saturday 11.30am
Steph West
Artists A-Z
Well known as our local harp sensation, this year Steph will be conducting ‘Green and
Gold’ – a new carol for Spring at the official festival opening, and is also one of our MCs.
Steve Tyler and Katy Marchant
Steve Tyler (hurdy gurdy, cittern) and Katy Marchant (bagpipes, whistle, shawm)
have together or individually played for bals with Woodwose, The Wendigo, Angles,
Jon Swayne and Becky Price. They play their own tunes along with a few from their
friends and some from as far back as medieval times.
Tom Blackburn
Three Pressed Men
Firmly rooted in the English tradition, Three Pressed Men
perform with voices, hammer dulcimer, guitar, melodeons,
accordion, psaltery, harmonica … and several concertinas!
Their music embraces many moods and styles – striking a
capella harmonies, sensitive ballads, lively dance music and
rousing choruses.
Tobias Ben Jacob and
Lukas Drinkwater
St Columba’s Church, Saturday 7.30pm
Blackwells, Saturday 1.30pm
Singer-songwriter Tobias’ startling vocal and
guitar work is perfectly complemented by
Lukas’ masterful upright bass playing and
backing vocals; their performance is a dynamic
and emotionally charged affair, ranging from
high-crystalline falsetto led songs to more Wesley Memorial Church, Friday 8.45pm
driving riff-driven earthy numbers. The Devon
based duo have been recently lauded by BBC 6’s Tom Robinson, and their latest single
has had airplay on national radio. Their masterful, inventive delivery is mesmerizing all
who encounter them.
Song de Raiz (Song of Roots) is a musical exchange project pairing primary schools
in Oxford with the Casa Educativa education centre on Itaparica Island in Brazil, and
NECAT, an educational charity in Oxford’s twin city Leon (Nicaragua). Learning folk
songs and culture from their own country and their partner country, the children have
sent recordings of songs, letters, photos and video, and discovered friends around the
world. In a special celebration at the Folk Weekend, the children will be performing a
selection of songs from the UK, Nicaragua and Brazil alongside professional musicians
giving performances of other folk traditions from these cultures.
Tom Blackburn is a Welsh-born, Oxfordshirebased
folk guitarist and singer. Having made a
name for himself on the London folk club scene,
he has supported Martin Carthy and Patsy Reid,
among others. He is known for his intricate
fingerstyle guitar playing and fresh renditions of
traditional English and Irish songs.
30 ODHHC, Saturday 10.45am
Wesley Memorial Church, Friday 8pm
31

Artists A-Z
The Watch
The Watch is a three piece band comprised of Dan Quinn on melodeons, Rob Murch
on banjo, and Gareth Kiddier on piano. All three are phenomenal dance musicians,
and we’re delighted to have them for our opening ceilidh. Expect some neat playing,
stompy English dance music, and just a bit of showing off!
WindBeaten
St Barnabas Church, Friday 7.45pm
Blackwells, Sunday 3.15pm
You’ll never look at the contents of your cutlery drawer in the same way again after
witnessing Jo May’s dexterity with a set of spoons – certain to get your toes tapping
as Frances Watt provides ear catching melodies and stories with flutes and vocals.
Blackwells, Sunday 12.15pm
White Horse Whisperers
White Horse Whisperers are a contemporary
folk band from Faringdon, Oxfordshire. With
a growing repertoire of original material
inspired by their diverse musical heritage,
geographical and historical roots, and the
world around them, the band combine strong
vocals and harmonies with an ever growing
collection of instruments to stirring effect.
The
Catweazle
Club
Thursdays 8pm
East Oxford Social Club,
Princes Street, Oxford OX4 1HU
£6/£5 Performers Free
(sign up 7.30pm)
Completely Unplugged – Utterly Magical
Music, Poetry, Story and Song
& All Manner of Performance
Artistry, since 1994
Folk Weekend is delighted to welcome The Catweazle Club
– Oxford’s legendary performance space. Saturday evening will
see their showcase of leading lights, featuring some of their
best-loved and most notorious artists. MC Matt Sage will be
introducing...
Rosie Caldecott – sublime songstress
Matt Chanarin – soulful folk troubadour
Art Theefe – rocking three piece band, led by
Matt Sage
Alan Buckley – insightful poet, master of the
microcosmic
Maddie Godfrey – electric young poet
Pete Salmond – gossamer-soft guitar maestro
Raymond Burke – Gospel-tinged Irish singer
songwriter
http://www.catweazleclub.org
https://www.facebook.com/catweazleclub
https://twitter.com/Catweazle_Club
32 33

Morris schedule
See our website for more info
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
Ashmolean
OFFICIAL OPENING
Summertown
Hobos Morris
Harlequin Morris
Ridgeway Step Clog
Chiltern Hundreds
Hammersmith MM
Stroud Morris
Mr Wilkins’ Shilling
Berkshire Bedlam
Old Speckled Hen
Englands Glory
Wychwayz Border
Ashmolean
Redbornstoke Morris
Les Danseurs Occitane
Borderline
Cornucopia
Pitt Rivers/
MNH
Old Speckled Hen
Phoenix Morris
Stroud Morris
Hobos Morris
Jackstraws Morris
Queen’s Oak
Englands Glory
Fire Clog
Plum Jerkum
Eynsham MM
Masons Apron
Wicket Brood
Oxford City & University
Kaleidoscope ATS ®
Armaleggan
Cry Havoc
Mabel Gubbins
OBJ
Pitt Rivers/
MNH
Harlequin Morris
Locksided Rapper
Taeppas Tump
Chiltern Hundreds
HawkSword
Yateley Morris Men
Basingclog
Les Danseurs Occitane
Redbornstoke Morris
Abingdon Trad MD
Barefoot Bellydance
Rockhopper Morris
on our visiting Morris sides
Covered
Market
Mabel Gubbins
Fire Clog
City Clickers
Summertown
Jackstraws Morris
Ridgeway Step Clog
Covered
Market
Owlswick Morris
Cornucopia
Locksided Rapper
Fleet Morris
Harlequin Morris
Albrickham Clog
Bonn Square
Oxford City & University
City Clickers
Plum Jerkum
Hook Eagle
Chiltern Hundreds
Kaleidoscope ATS ®
Berkshire Bedlam
Mr Wilkins’ Shilling
OBJ
Cry Havoc
Wychwayz Border
Sharp and Blunt
Harlequin Morris
Queen’s Oak
Kirtlington Morris
Mr Hemmings
Phoenix Morris
Summertown
Masons Apron
Ridgeway Step Clog
Hammersmith MM
Gloucester
Green
All teams
massed
stand
Open dance spot
Albrickham Clog
Abingdon Trad MD
Hobos Morris
Harlequin Morris
City Clickers
Fleet Morris
Cornucopia
Locksided Rapper
Open dance
spot
Broad Street
(bollarded end)
Eynsham MM
Sharp and Blunt
Armaleggan
Hammersmith MM
Wicket Brood
Kirtlington Morris
Open dance
spot:
all teams
(scheduled
or visiting)
welcome to
come and dance
Hobos Morris
Englands Glory
Mr Wilkins’ Shilling
Fire Clog
Jackstraws Morris
Harlequin Morris
Mr Hemmings
Chiltern Hundreds
Broad Street
(bollarded end)
Yateley Morris Men
Basingclog
Fleet Morris
HawkSword
Bampton Trad MM
City Clickers
Hobos Morris
Barefoot Bellydance
Albrickham Clog
HuMP
Borderline
Rockhopper Morris
Open dance
spot
Les Danseurs Occitane
Redbornstoke Morris
Owlswick Morris
Broad Street
(NBL end)
Open dance
spot:
all teams
(scheduled
or visiting)
welcome to
come and
dance
Wychwayz Border
City Clickers
Hook Eagle
Old Speckled Hen
Broad Street
(NBL end)
Open dance spot
Chiltern Hundreds
HuMP
Bampton Trad MM
Taeppas Tump
Abingdon Trad MD
Saturday
Blue Boar Street
(Bear PH)
Mabel Gubbins
Mr Hemmings
Hobos Morris
Berkshire Bedlam
Hammersmith MM
Stroud Morris
Open dance spot
Sunday
Blue Boar Street
(Bear PH)
Open dance spot
City Clickers
Taeppas Tump
Owlswick Morris
Bampton Trad MM
Borderline
Hobos Morris
Open dance
spot
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
Frideswide Square and Cornmarket Street
(Carfax end and St Michaels end) are all open
dance spots. Scheduled and visiting Morris
teams are invited to come and dance here
throughout both Saturday and Sunday.
Folk Weekend Oxford 2016 is delighted
to be filling the streets of this historic city
with glorious traditional music and dancing;
wherever you are in Oxford, you’ll never be far
from a morris team! (See our venue map on
p6-7 for details.)
From Oxfordshire to the Languedoc, we
welcome a variety of displays and regional
variations of traditional dance styles. You
will not only see the local Cotswold morris
style represented, but also Border Morris,
Step and Clog Dancers, North West, Garland,
Bellydancing and French traditional dancing.
Saturday teams:
Amaleggan, Berkshire Bedlam Morris, Chiltern Hundreds
Clog Morris, City Clickers Clog & Step Dancers, Cry Havoc
Botley Morris, Englands Glory Ladies Morris, Eynsham
Morris Men, Fire Clog, Hammersmith Morris Men,
Harlequin Morris, Hobos Morris, Hook Eagle Morris Men,
Jackstraws Morris, Kaleidoscope ATS® Dance, Kirtlington
Morris, Mabel Gubbins Rapper, Masons Apron North West
Clog Morris, Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris
Dancers, Mr Wilkins’ Shilling, OBJ, Old Speckled Hen
North West Clog Morris, Oxford City and University Morris
Men, Phoenix Morris, Plum Jerkum Border Morris, Queen’s
Oak Morris, Ridgeway Step Clog, Sharp and Blunt, Stroud
Morris, Summertown Morris, Wicket Brood, Wychwayz
Border Morris
Sunday teams:
Abingdon Traditional Morris Dancers, Albrickham Clog
& Step Dancers, Bampton Traditional Morris Dancers,
Barefoot Bellydance, Basingclog Morris, Borderline Morris,
Chiltern Hundreds Clog Morris, City Clickers Clog & Step
Dancers, Cornucopia, Fleet Morris, Harlequin Morris,
HawkSword, Hobos Morris, Hurst Morris People, Les
Danseurs Occitane (France), Locksided Rapper, Owlswick
Morris, Redbornstoke Morris, Rockhopper Morris, Taeppas
Tump North West Morris, Yateley Morris Men
5pm
5pm
34 35

Beyond the Festival
Way back in deepest, darkest 2012, the first Folk Weekend
was run on a lot of favours, copious amounts of Minstrels,
and an abundance of winging it. However, it very soon
became apparent that we were on to something pretty
special, and it might be a good idea if we had some sort of
formal structure within which to manage it all.
Folk Arts Oxford is that very thing; originally set up as a not-for-profit organisation to
provide structure for the running of Folk Weekend, in reality it has become so much
more than that.
Supporting the community
Folk in Oxford is a folk-specific listings
site, and portal for folk activity in
Oxfordshire. It’s fast becoming the
first port of call for local folkies to see
what’s on, plus there’s also a wealth
of information about the various activities to enable any newcomers to learn more
about what we do, and whether they want to join in. www.folkinoxford.co.uk
Developing projects
We have now run two fully funded projects – the Back to the Quarry heritage project,
exploring the life of William Kimber and his family; and the Makaton Folk project, which
saw the creation of a new folk band called Iris who perform top quality folk music with
Makaton-signed songs. For more information see www.folk-arts-oxford.co.uk/projects
Inclusive Music-making
As folkies, we know that the folk scene is welcoming and inclusive – but does everyone
*else* know that?! We have been working hard to reach out to people who can often
feel excluded from arts events such as ours; for the last three years FAO has run prefestival
ceilidhs for children from Special Needs schools, and we have gradually started
to embed this ethos in to our festival programme, with this year seeing our first ‘Special
Saturday’. Look out for S symbol in the schedule, indicating the events which are
specifically aimed to include people with Special Needs, and see p15 for more details.
Accessibility is going to be our main focus as we look ahead to our next five years,
and we’re in the process of raising funds to make sure we reach as many people as
possible. Buying a ticket to Folk Weekend means you’re already part of helping us do
amazing things, and if you feel able to offer any more help, we are always looking
for volunteers, or there are some ideas on the next page. If you are interested in
sponsorship, donations or becoming a Business Friend please contact
erica@folkweekendoxford.co.uk.
Folk Weekend Needs You!
We are a community festival, run exclusively by volunteers, and any additional support
we can get from our friends, fans, and audience is invaluable to us. If you feel able to
help in any way, here are a few ideas…
Spread the word
If you have enjoyed Folk Weekend, make sure you
tell all your friends! Believe it or not, even sharing
a status update on Facebook or mentioning us in a
tweet can make a huge difference.
Shop for Folk Weekend!
www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk
/FolkWeekendOxford
@FolkWeekend
/FolkWeekend_Oxford
If you’ve ever needed an excuse to go online shopping then here it is! Sign up with
Easyfundraising.org.uk and you can raise money for the festival whenever you shop
online – without it costing you an extra penny!
www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/folkweekendoxford
Become a Friend!
Please fill in the slip below and hand in to stewards at any festival venue, or you can
sign up online and get a 10% discount on any membership.
www.folkweekendoxford.co.uk
Email: ...........................................................................
36 37
Silver - £23 per year for an individual £45 for up to 5 family members
» Receive the latest piece of coveted Folk Weekend merchandise
» Behind-the-scenes news and gossip from Folk Weekend HQ
» Invite to the Folk Weekend after-show party
» Buy season tickets at Early Bird prices at any time (subject to availability)
» Your name in the festival programme
Gold - £50 per year individual £90 per year for a couple
As Silver, plus
» Book tickets for individual events before they are released for general sale
» Invite to the pre-festival reception
Platinum - £100 per year individual £150 per year for a couple
As Gold, plus
» A guest pass to an individual event of your choosing on each day of the festival
(must be booked in advance and subject to availability)
» Festival backstage tour with Festival Director Cat Kelly
» A seat reserved for you in the main evening concerts
Name: ..........................................................................
Address: .................................................................................................................

Acknowledgements
Folk Weekend Committee
Cat Kelly – Festival Director
Jenny Semmence – Artistic Director
Euan McGill – Logistics Manager
Erica Saracino – Fundraising Manager
Kate Rouse – Family Festival Co-ordinator
Jon Price – Merchandise
Rachel Barber – Fundraising
Cath Poucher – Volunteer Co-ordinator
Honourable mentions...
Nina Hansell – our new and fabulous Admin
Manager, without whom there most likely wouldn’t have
been a festival this year! If you see her, please give her
a hug/G&T.
Dazzling Dave Carugo and the superb Sound Tech
team from Oxford Brookes
Alice Shepperson – outstanding graphic design
Toby Lowe and Gary Gleghorn – fantastic
photography
Sarah Crouch, Angie Hirst, Cath Little,
Adrian D’Orling, and David Gibb – this year’s
outgoing committee members. You are sadly missed!
The committee are all
volunteers, and work extremely
hard throughout the year as
well as during the festival. They
do it for love, of course, but
are always happy to be bought
beers as well.
We would also like
to thank:
Our patrons Jackie Oates and
John Spiers, for all their help
and support
All of our amazing volunteer
stewards, Venue Managers,
Team Leaders, and Senior
stewards – we literally could
not have done it without you!
Clea Lees for help with
organising the Special Schools
ceilidhs, and John Watson
and Springfield schools for
hosting
Ed Pritchard, Matt
Coatsworth and Hinny
Pawsey for co-ordinating the
Euro-fun
The Oxford NAGS and
Topette!! for fantastic
fundraiser gigs
Many thanks also to the Friends of Folk Weekend
At the time of writing these are...
Platinum: Sue Waters & Tony Kelly, Steph & Alastair Pirrie
Gold: Christopher Bates, Martin Prior, Gill & Emily Manning, Sammye Haigh,
Hannah Bond, Philip Read, Louise Kelly
Also: David Stenton, Anne Mackintosh, Theresa Marshall, Heather White, The Wolton
Family, David Pyle, Jane Bird, Vivienne Bloomfield & family, Colin Cotter, Elizabeth
Harding & Emanuele Saracino, Julia Flynn, Andy Rouse, Edwin Pritchard, Rachel
Hamlyn, Lesley Baillie, Stephanie West, and Susan Colwell & family.
A FESTIVAL OF FOLK’S FINEST ACTS GATHERED IN BEAUTIFUL LEAFY
PARKLAND FOR ONE UPLIFTING SUMMER DAY OF MUSIC.
AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM
CARA DILLON & FRIENDS • FALSE LIGHTS
SWEET LIBERTIES • MARTIN SIMPSON & DOM FLEMONS
EMILY PORTMAN & THE CORACLE BAND
Follow us on:
HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTS, SUNDAY 24 JULY 2016
ACORN STAGE
LYNCHED • THE RHEINGANS SISTERS
KELLY OLIVER
BRING A BOTTLE AND A PICNIC!
FAMILY FRIENDLY • CRAFT TENT • MUSIC STALLS • RECYCLED GIFTS • DELICIOUS
FOOD STALLS • REAL ALE BAR • CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES • STORYTELLING
Registered charity no. 1106746
WWW.FOLKBYTHEOAK.COM OR CALL: 01432 355 416
Folk Weekend would like to thank our affiliates, associates, and sponsors: Oxford
Bus Company, Oxford University, The National Union of Teachers (NUT) for their
support of the Family Festival, Daily Info, The Nosebag, Pitt Rivers Museum,
Blackwell’s Bookshop, The Ashmolean Museum, Oxfolk, and all of our venues.
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Folk Weekend: Oxford is an event by Folk Arts Oxford Ltd.
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