A local folk festival has enjoyed bumper crowds, packed workshops and brought vibrancy, music and dancing to a sea side town.
This year’s Fishguard Folk Festival was a huge success even by its own high standards, attracting more visitors than ever, from as far afield as Germany, the Netherlands and the USA.
Festival goers enjoyed four days of sessions, concerts, workshops- which were especially well-attended this year- dancing and much more.
The ticketed concerts in Theatr Gwaun, featuring major folk figures attracted good audiences. The rest of the festival was completely free, much to the delight of visitors and locals.
Some of the fifty plus free events included a bodhran workshop, a talk on Buffalo Bill in Britain and another on the connections between folk music and wellbeing.
Concerts were given by established names in the folk world and unknown acts making their first appearance, some to huge acclaim.
There were folk sessions aplenty, including special slow sessions for anyone hesitant about the full-on ones. There was a walk in the footsteps of pirates and smugglers, a musical picnic at Garn Fawr, a free twmpath/ceilidh attended by 60 dancers, Afro-Welsh music with a band featuring a kora.
“There were so many events that the hard part was working out what to miss,” said Peter Kay, one of the festival’s organisers.
“The festival has always had its own unique quality, but as the years have gone by it has become steadily more unusual in being mostly free.
“Visitors are astonished to find there are no wristbands or tickets or entry fees for any of the events other than the three concerts in Theatr Gwaun. Even the programmes are free and there is such a huge range of events.”
Peter added that the fact that the festival took place across local venues was another of its special qualities.
“It has no separate central marquee, like so many folk festivals,” he said. “All the events are distributed around local venues, making them easily accessible for all and bringing visitors into the town.
“Unexpected venues are opened up to new visitors who discover what they have to offer.
“The festival brings people together in so many ways, both old friends and new faces: long may it continue to do so.”
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