LEISURE: Petherton Folk Fest is here again!

THE fourth Petherton Folk Fest tomorrow (Saturday, June 20, 2015) will provide a full day of entertainment.

Most of the entertainment for people of all ages will be free and nearly all of the dancers, musicians and Morris ‘sides’ in the programme come from Somerset and the West Country.

There will also be stalls, food and a craft market and several modestly-priced workshops for those wishing to improve their dance moves or instrumental skills.

The Fest will start at 10am with a procession of Morris sides into Market Square. At the same time, events will be getting underway in most of the other venues, which include St Peter & St Paul’s Church and its grounds, The David Hall performing arts centre, The Brewers Arms pub, The Blake Hall, the yard at the infants’ school and the back garden of Burnworthy House residential home, off Hele Lane.

Iain Wilkinson, who was involved with the hugely successful Petherton Folk & Craft Fair that ran from the mid-70s to 1997 and also helped to establish the new Folk Fest, will perform the official opening ceremony while Ian Baker, a member of Petherton Arts Trust - which owns and runs the David Hall - will be MC throughout the day.

Highlights of the event for Folk music fans will be a performance in Market Square by The Drystones – the University-age duo who wowed crowds at the Glastonbury Festival in 2013; and, headlining in The David Hall, the Australian Rory Ellis, billed as the ‘quintessential alternative country artiste’ and so popular at numerous UK festivals that he has moved to live in Devon!

The Drystones will close performances on the main stage in Market Square at 6pm while Rory Ellis is billed as the final artiste at the end of an afternoon programme in The David Hall.

At midday, Iain Wilkinson will invite visitors to join in the Clipping of the Church, a tradition which he has worked hard to reintroduce in order to maintain some of the ancient customs that date back to 1231, when South Petherton held its first village fair. Music inside the church will include the English a cappella folk group, Freshly Ground, and Stanchester Quire. 

Throughout the afternoon, fans of folk music will be able to enjoy about 20 gigs in different locations.

They include Willowen, the quirky Indie-Folk trio from Bournemouth who are making their third appearance at Petherton Folk Fest with a gig in The David Hall, and Stampita, five Taunton-based musicians who perform original and traditional songs and tunes on a wide variety of instruments and will be at The Brewers Arms for the final event of the day, playing from 9pm to 11pm.

Entertainment for children is being organised at several venues, starting at 11am with a Morris dance workshop in the infants’ school yard.

Many attractions for youngsters will be located in the church grounds and Angel Heart Theatre is booked to give puppet performances – to ‘kids of all ages’ - in The Blake Hall.

A Laughter Workshop, for children and grown-ups, will be held in the back garden at Burnworthy House residential home, off Hele Lane, from 11am to 11.45am.  There will also be arts and crafts for children from 11am till 2pm; Punch & Judy at 12.30pm and a puppet show from 3pm to 4pm.

“We have aimed to provide an even more extensive programme for all ages for the fourth Petherton Folk Fest and I feel confident that the events we have booked will keep visitors happily occupied throughout the day,” said Pete Wheeler, chairman of the Folk Fest Committee.

“We look forward to seeing our regular supporters and, all being well, an increased number of Traditional dance and music fans from further afield,” he added.

The full programme for the day is on the website www.pethertonfolkfest.org.uk .

PHOTOS - ABOVE: Taken during last year's Petherton Folk Fest.

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Leisure.