Sidmouth Festival

Sidmouth is the grandaddy of all folk festivals, pioneering world music of all shapes and sizes... A superb event that occupies the whole of this seaside town throughout the week" - Rough Guide to World Music.

Let's face it, there can't be many places where you can attend participatory workshops on everything from Gregorian Chant via Melodeon to Tibetan Line Dancing - Folk Roots, December 1996.

This list is only a sample - a dozen of the English Ceilidh, Dances, workshops per day. More details to be added. However don't rely on the list, rely on the working program (on the Sidmouth Folk Week site...)

Friday, 4 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Bloatertown Band, caller John Blackburn.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

English Dance with Meltdown and Val Webster.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

American Dance with Skylark and John Meechan.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

LastMinuteCeilidh with the Dartmoor Pixie Band, caller Sarah Bazeley.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Marquee

Early Evening Extra with Mawkin and Adam Wooley.
    20:00-22:30 Bulverton Marquee

Late Night Extra with Tickled Pink, caller Nigel Barrell.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Saturday, 5 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Dartmoor Pixie Band, caller Sarah Bazeley.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Skylark and Mike Courthold.
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

American Dance with Hobson's Choice and Mike Barraclough.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

English Dance with Orion's Ring and Ruth Allmayer.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Skylark and Lynne Render.
    19:30-22:30 Sidmouth Youth Centre

LastMinuteCeilidh with Peeping Tom, caller Chris Pitt.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Late Night Extra with Florida, caller Pete Rees.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Sunday, 6 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Peeping Tom, caller Nigel Barrell.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Orion's Ring and Frances Richardson.
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Meltdown and Mike Courthold.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

General Dance with Skylark and Pete & Marj Hendy.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

LastMinuteCeilidh with Florida, caller Fee Lock.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Late Night Extra with Peeping Tom, caller Martyn Harvey
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Monday, 7 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Tickled Pink, caller Shade Brayley.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Family Ceilidh with ThingumaJig.
    17:00-19:00 Anchor Gardens

American Dance with Meltdown and John Meechan.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

French Bal with d'Accord Poisson Rouge.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Newfolks and Ruth Allmayer.
    19:30-22:30 Sidmouth Youth Centre

Mick Brooks Memorial Ceilidh with Hekety, caller Martyn Harvey
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Early Evening Extra with The Ceilidh Project.
    20:00-22:30 Bulverton Marquee

Late Night Extra with Woodpecker, caller Gordon Potts.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Tuesday, 8 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Woodpecker, caller Martin Harvey.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Pendragon and John Meechan.
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

Scottish Ball with Orion's Ring and Gerry Yates.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

General Dance with Pendragon and Mike Barraclough.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Newfolks and Ron Rudd.
    19:30-22:30 Sidmouth Youth Centre

LastMinuteCeilidhs with Jabadaw, caller Gordon Potts.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Early Evening Extra with Boka Halat and Mr Anchovy
    20:00-22:30 Bulverton Marquee

Late Night Extra with Steamchicken caller Chris Pitt.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Wednesday, 9 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Grand Union, caller Chris Pitt.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Orion's Ring and Pete & Marj Hendy.
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Meltdown and Pete & Marj Hendy.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

Playford Ball with Orion's Ring and Val Webster.
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Pendragon and Ruth Allmayer.
    19:30-22:30 Sidmouth Youth Centre

LastMinuteCeilidhs with Mr Gubbin's Bicycle, caller John Kirkpatrick.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Late Night Extra with Grand Union, caller Fee Lock.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Thursday, 10 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Mr Gubbin's Bicycle, caller John Kirkpatrick.
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Pendragon and Val Webster.
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

Teatime Ceilidh with The Festival Big Band, caller Dick Stanger.
    17:00-19:00 Anchor Gardens

General Dance with Newfolks and Frances Richardson.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

American Night with Hobson's Choice and John Meechan
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

LastMinuteCeilidhs with Woodpecker, caller Pete Rees.
    19:30-23:00 Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Late Night Extra with Hekety, caller Gordon Potts.
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Friday, 11 August 2006:

Lunchtime ceilidh with Spinach for Norman, caller Pam Hayes
    12:00-14:30 Anchor Gardens

Tea Dance with Newfolks, Ray Goodswen and Francis Oates
    15:30-17:00 St Francis Church Hall

General Dance with Pendragon, Mike Barraclough and Frances Richardson.
    19:30-22:30 Sidford Village Hall

General Dance with Newfolks, John Meecham and Ruth Allmayer
    19:30-22:30 St Francis Church Hall

LastMinuteCeilidhs with Steamchicken, caller Fee Lock.
    19:30-10.00pm Blackmore Gardens Dance Marquee

Late Night Extra with Jabadaw, caller Pete Rees
    22:45-01:00 Bulverton Marquee

Dance and Ceilidh events both in town and in the marquees up a mile or so up by the main camp site. As you would expect events are slightly less packed together than a weekend festival but a week of dancing can still be pretty strenuous.

The major venues for Ceilidh are the Anchor Gardens (behind the Anchor pub) at lunchtime 12:00 to 14:30. Tough on the legs in the heat and on the tarmac and less space than there used to be as the tables are creeping into the dance space. The best time and place for a good dance is the early evening slot, now in the Blackmore Gardens Marquee, generally with good bands and not too crowded. It's the session which used to be at the Bulverton and before that in the Bowd in years past. Having the Ceilidhs split does mean that you have a walk to get to the Late Night Extra's or a hurried bus ride. The LNE's (Late Night Extra's) are normally jam packed, hot and hectic.

See the Sidmouth Folk Week pages for details of the 2006 events.