The award-winning English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) commission, The Full English, will perform at the festival on Saturday 2 August. Created to celebrate the launch of The Full English digital archive the band went on to win two BBC Folk awards for Best Album and Best Group.
Other EFDSS supported events include performances from ceilidh and concert band Whapweasel, Martin & Eliza Carthy – EFDSS’ Vice President, and The Young ‘Uns.
Also supported will be a range of children’s and youth events: a children’s ceilidh with The Old Swan Band & Mary Panton; music, dance and song sessions with Kirsty Cotter & Lori Watson; clog dance with Fiona Taylor and The Hub band project.
Artists who are involved in our Aspire Programme to support and develop young artists – Sam Kelly and Rosie Hood – will perform in The Den with their trios.
Maz O’Connor, who has recently completed a Creative Fellowship with EFDSS funded by the BBC Performing Arts Fund, will perform a Club Showcase concert on Sunday 3 August.
Giveaways on site
Fancy and free new-look EFDSS cotton tote bag?
Head over to the entrance of the main arena, near to the welfare area, on Saturday 2 August. From 12.30pm team-EFDSS will be giving some away.
If you’re on site and spot us come on over and say hi or tweet us @TheEFDSS!
About the festival
Cambridge Folk Festival is always one of the most eagerly-anticipated events in the city’s calendar. But this year’s festival is set to be even more special than usual, as it marks the annual event’s 50th anniversary.
Since its debut in 1965 – which featured, among other performers, a young Paul Simon – the city council-run festival has grown into one of the best-loved music festivals in the world. Over the years artists including Emmylou Harris, The Pogues, Mumford and Sons, Joan Baez, Bellowhead, Clannad, Joe Strummer, Laura Marling, Imelda May, Jake Bugg and Robert Plant have all appeared on stage at Cherry Hinton Hall.
Its status was acknowledged at folk music’s most prestigious awards ceremony, the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, held at the Royal Albert Hall earlier in the year. Cambridge Folk Festival was presented with the Good Tradition Award – an honour given to a person, group or organisation for their contribution to traditional music.
The Festival’s environmentally-friendly credentials were also recently highlighted when it earned Highly Commended status in the Greener Festival Awards for the sixth year in a row.
This year, visitors can expect the sell-out event’s characteristic mixture of well-known international artists alongside newer talents, across four different stages in a wonderful parkland setting.
