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Bromyard Folk Festival 2011
Online Press Kit








Press release - UPDATED

Date: 20 August 2011 - for immediate release

Generations of talent lined up for the 2011 Bromyard Folk Festival

- Veteran big name acts and young rising stars share the billing for a fun weekend of music and dance.


Some of the biggest names in folk music head for Herefordshire to appear in this year's Bromyard Folk Festival on the weekend of September 9-11.

Now celebrating its 44th year, the festival is one of the most enduring and popular events on the British folk calendar. It has also become a popular showcase for emerging folk talent, with some superb young artists sharing the billing with veteran big names acts.

Internationally acclaimed Irish band Dervish, powerful Scottish trio McCusker, McGoldrick and Doyle and award winning guitarist Martin Simpson and his band are among the top attractions lined up for this year.

Talented new acts on the guest list include the sparkling musicianship of young five-piece band from Wales Calan, powerful duo and BBC Horizon Award nominees Hannah James and Sam Sweeney, and the dynamic 20-year-old singer and guitarist from Derby taking the UK festival scene by storm, Lucy Ward.

Another rising star lined up for this year's Festival is captivating young singer Kirsty Bromley, winner of last year's Fred Jordan Memorial Competition, held each year at the Festival in memory of the celebrated singer Fred Jordan and open to singers up the age of 24.

Says Artistic Director for the Festival, Dick Dixon, 'Bromyard Folk Festival is one of longest running events on the British folk calendar and has witnessed many generations of artists who have become big international stars.

'This is very much a family event and it provides an ideal opportunity to celebrate not just the past traditions of folk music but also its future.'

Sponsored by Wye Valley Brewery, Caplor Energy and The Co-operative Society the event attracts hundreds of singers, musicians and dancers from across the UK for 170 hours of entertainment, not only on the main site but throughout the town centre.

The Festival also boasts some spectacular morris dancing, workshops, children's entertainment, craft fair, real ale bars and food.

Enquiries, orders for tickets and requests for information updates can be made on 07935 747 904 or by visiting the new Festival website on www.bromyard-folk-festival.org.uk

(Ends)


Notes for Editors

Bromyard Folk Festival - background

The first Bromyard Folk Festival was a 'ceilidh' (or social dance) that took place in 1968 although the Herefordshire town has a much longer tradition of folk music and morris dancing.

Rounding off a packed programme of folk festivals across the UK, Bromyard Folk Festival usually takes place in the second weekend of September and attracts over 2000 visitors each year.

Most of the ticketed events take place on the main festival site in the BroadBridge field on the A4023 Stourbridge Road, sharing an entrance with Bromyard Town Football Club. There is also a choice of events in the Town Centre throughout the weekend, including a Saturday evening open air concert in Town Green next to the Public Hall.

Tickets are selling quickly. In fact tickets sold out at last year's Festival.

For further details and background, please visit the Festival Website on www.bromyard-folk-festival.org.uk.



Click on links to open up downloadable photographs in separate windows.

Click here for downloadable photo of Dervish (3.14Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Martin Simpson (1.41Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Calan (1.11Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Hannah James and Sam Sweeney (126kb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Kirsty Bromley (4.52Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - Main Site, taken during one of the Festival evenings in 2009. Photo by Chele Willow (2.59Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - Sunset, taken during the Festival at sunset in 2009. Photo by Chele Willow (4.61Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - young folk fans: aspiring morris dancers at last year's Bromyard Folk Festival. Photo by Chele Willow (2.4Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - ceilidh: lively social dancing at last year's Bromyard Folk Festival. (3.68Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - ceilidh dancers (detail) at last year's Bromyard Folk Festival. (4.32Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Bromyard Folk Festival - main stage audience at last year's Bromyard Folk Festival. (5.29Mb).

Click here for downloadable photo of Earlsdon Morris Men from Coventry, dancing at last year's Bromyard Folk Festival. (3.01Mb).


Click here for the Bromyard Folk Festival website with link to guest details



Contact details:

For interviews and further information about Bromyard Folk Festival, contact:

Lynne Barker (Festival Director) on 07772 831860. Email Lynne@bromyard-folk-festival.org.uk

Dick Dixon (Festival Director) on 07831 890905. Email dickdixon@warwickfolkfest.demon.co.uk

Pete Willow (PCWillow) on 07887 552896. Email pete@pcwillow.com



Visit the Bromyard Folk Festival press release archive here.