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A feast of folk: Festival returns with four days of music, walks and dancing

Headliner Sam Sweeney is a festival coup. <i>(Image: Fishguard Folk Festival)</i>
Headliner Sam Sweeney is a festival coup. (Image: Fishguard Folk Festival)

The last weekend in May sees Fishguard Folk Festival return with four days of music, workshops, walks, dancing and much more.

The well-established local festival features the usual mix of big names and up-and-coming acts .

This year there are fifty-nine events in a dozen venues, featuring at least thirty-three acts.

There are concerts, sessions, workshops, a twmpath/ceilidh, the famous Pirates and Smugglers Walk, traditional dancers, a musical picnic (weather permitting) and much more.

The festival remains proudly ‘mostly free’. This year out of all the events, you only have to pay for - drum roll - the three headline concerts in Theatr Gwaun.

Sam Sweeney, star of stage, screen and Bellowhead, is the first headliner on the Saturday afternoon. Possibly the most exciting British fiddler of the last twenty years, the organisers said that getting Sam for the festival was quite a coup.

Western Telegraph: The brilliantly names Granny's Attic will headline on  Saturday.
Western Telegraph: The brilliantly names Granny's Attic will headline on Saturday.

On Saturday evening you can hear the exhilarating Granny’s Attic supported by the delicate harmonies and lovely playing of upcoming duo Janice Burns and Jon Doran.

The last headline concert is on the Sunday night: Emily Portman, one of the most beautiful voices in folk, accompanied by Rob Harbron and supported by local favourites Broadoak. Concert tickets cost £15 and are available from Theatr Gwaun, either on 01348 873421 or online.

Western Telegraph: Emily Portman, accompanied by Rob Harbron, will headline on  Sunday night.
Western Telegraph: Emily Portman, accompanied by Rob Harbron, will headline on Sunday night.

Beyond the concerts, there is a huge amount to do - active participation is the heart of the festival. Dance to live music, learn to play the spoons or the bodhran (go on, you know you want to), sing yourself hoarse at a singaround, play at a session where you could be sitting next to someone straight off the stage - or get up on stage yourself at an open mic event.

“You never know quite what you can do, or what you might enjoy, until you have a go - so come along and find out,” said the festival’s organisers.

Fishguard Folk Festival runs from Friday, May 26 to Monday, May 29 with events in Fishguard, Lower Town and Garn Fawr. For a full programme, visit the website linked above.