Middlewich Folk And Boat Festival

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Eliza Carthy and the ratcatchers. Photo (c) Penny Vincent/Tony Jones (2005)
Eliza Carthy and the ratcatchers. Photo (c) Penny Vincent/Tony Jones (2005)

The Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival takes place in June in Middlewich, Cheshire, England. The festival builds on the towns industrial heritage in which canal boats were used to move coal and other raw materials in the town for the production of salt, and then move the salt out of town, either for use directly , or as a raw material in the manufacture of chemicals such as Chlorine and soda ash.

The Middlewich Folk and Boat festival is now firmly established on the folk circuit and it is estimated that 30,000 people visit the town during the festival weekend, along with 400 boats. The festival was originally organised by members of the Middlewich Paddies. The festival was declared among the top three folk festivals in England by Guardian Online.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The festival has been held since 1990. It was cancelled in 2001 because of Foot and Mouth disease.

[edit] The festival

Since 1990 there has been an annual folk music and (canal) boat festival, which is now highly regarded on the folk circuit[2] [3] with visitors coming into the town from all over the UK. During this festival artists appear at venues throughout the town, whilst Morris Dancing and Craft Stalls also featured. The boating festival centres on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The main venues where people and boats converge are the Big Lock and Kings Lock, public houses next to locks of the same name on the Trent and Mersey canal.

[edit] Artistes

[edit] 2008 (13th - 15th June)

Including

[edit] 2007 (15th - 17th June)

[edit] 2006 (16th - 18th June)

[edit] 2005 (17th - 19th June)

[edit] 2004 (18th - 20th June)

[edit] 2003 (13th - 15th June)

[edit] 2002 (14th - 16th June)

[edit] 2001 (15th - 17th June CANCELLED)

Cancelled due to Foot-and-mouth disease

[edit] 2000 (16th - 18th June)

[edit] 1999 (18th - 20th June)

  • Cherish the Ladies
  • Black Umfolosi
  • The Poozies
  • Tanglefoot
  • The Old Rope String Band
  • Cock and Bull
  • The Oldham Tinkers
  • Bernard Wrigley
  • Ian Bruce
  • The Boat Band
  • Acquiesce
  • Middlewich Paddies
  • The Chipolatas
  • St. Patrick's Pipe Band
  • Keeper's Lock
  • Steamhead
  • Davian Reel
  • Roy Wilcock & Bridget Guest
  • Lorebreakers

[edit] 1998 (19th - 21st June)

  • Dervish
  • The Albion Band
  • Chris While and Julie Matthews
  • Artisan
  • Tanglefoot
  • Huw and Tony Williams
  • Cock and Bull Band
  • The Peace Artists
  • Calico Jack
  • Davian Reel
  • Moorland Folk
  • Buzz & Sam Collins
  • Stanley Accrington
  • The Middlewich Paddies
  • Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley
  • Flakey Jake and The Steamin Locos
  • John Conolly and Pete Sumner
  • Fiona Shirra
  • Acquiesce
  • The Salt Town Poets
  • Ian Goodier and Tom Browne
  • Steamhead
  • Roy Wilcock and Bridget Guest
  • The Lorebreakers
  • Biggles Wartime Jug Band
  • The Ram Shanty Crew
  • Silk Brass

[edit] 1997 (20th - 22nd June)

[edit] 1996 (14th - 16th June)

  • After Hours
  • Cosmotheka
  • Calico Jack
  • Gary and Vera Aspey
  • Five Speed Box
  • New Bushbury Mountain Daredevils
  • Chris Sherbourn and Denny Bartley
  • The Southgators
  • Keith Donnelly
  • Risky Business
  • The Middlewich Paddies
  • Jenny Shotliffe and Youthquake
  • The Great Bonzo and Doris
  • Dave Roberts
  • Circus Sensible
  • Paul and Glen Elliot

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Folk on the water at top music festival. icCheshireOnline (7th May 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-07.
  2. ^ 10 top folk festivals. Guardian Online (23rd April 2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-07.
  3. ^ Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival. The Mudcat Cafe. Retrieved on 2008-05-07.