Top acts announced for Dartmoor Folk Festival

Top local and national artists will headline at the 37th Dartmoor Folk Festival, which will be held at South Zeal, near Okehampton, on 8, 9 and 10 August.

Artists announced, to date, include: New Rope String Band (Friday), Lady Maisery, Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar (winners of the BBC Young Folk Awards 2013), Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer, The Old Fashioned, Bill Whaley and Dave Fletcher, Chalktown and Pete White's Suitcase Circus.

Other artists attending include Trevor Organ's Cracking Crockery, The Dartmoor Pixie Band, Tony Beard, Entertainingly Different, Dave Wills, various morris and dance teams, plus more to be confirmed.

The festival will include a packed programme of concerts, a ramble on Dartmoor, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, dances, a Children's Festival, a Dartmoor Fayre, music hall, pub sessions and music, song and dance workshops.

Competitions include the Dartmoor Broom Dance championships and Dartmoor Stepdance Championships.

It was 37 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 about the Festival, or to enquire about booking tickets, telephone 01837 840102 or visit the website: www.dartmoorfolkfestival.co.uk