Music, song and dance at Dartmoor Folk Festival

TOP local and national artists will headline at the 39th Dartmoor Folk Festival, which will be held at South Zeal, near Okehampton, on August 5, 6 and 7.

They include Blazin' Fiddles, Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston, Bob Fox, Mawkin, Talisk, Pete Coe, Alice Jones and Tickled Pink with Fee Lock.

Other artists attending are The Dartmoor Pixie Band (Friday and Sunday night), Ramsley Minors, Entertainingly Different, Dave Wills, Bill Murray, Tich Scott and various morris and dance teams.

The annual family-festival includes concerts, a ramble on Dartmoor, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, dances, a dedicated Children's Festival, a Dartmoor Fayre, music hall, pub sessions and music, song and dance workshops.

Hotly-contested competitions are the Dartmoor Broom Dance championships and Dartmoor Stepdance Championships.

It was 39 years ago that the festival was founded by the late Bob Cann, who lived in the parish of South Zeal.  He had the dream of a folk event on his doorstep that would help to revive and preserve the traditions of Dartmoor.

It was the traditional music, dance, song and crafts of the area that formed the basis for the first festival and they still remain for the association which runs the festival today.

Since it was founded it has grown so that it can invite some of the best folk artists around, whilst maintaining its reputation for being a relaxed, friendly and traditional festival.

For further details, visit the website: www.dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk 

To enquire about booking tickets, telephone 01837 840102 or email: enquiries@dartmoorfolkfestival.org.uk