Welcome to the Gate to Southwell Folk Festival 2008 web site.
Headliners,
Bellowhead
Southwell's second folk festival will coincide with
the annual Gate to Southwell procession of Morris dancers
to Southwell Minster from Nottingham city centre. The three day folk festival
will be held on an 8.5 acre site next to the town’s workhouse on June 6th
- 8th
Keep up to date!
The site will be updated regularly with the latest additions to artistes,
performers and events. If you want to be kept up to date on events, please sign
up
>here< to receive latest updates on the festival programme by email
newsletter.
History of the Gate to Southwell
The Gate to Southwell dates back to 1109, when the Archbishop of York wrote to every parish in Nottinghamshire asking for contributions for the building of Southwell Minster. The procession was their public way of handing over what became known as the Southwell Pence.
In its modern form, the Gate to Southwell began in 1981, when Morrismen revived the custom. The Southwell Pence are collected from the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and handed over at the Minster.
The event is accompanied by teams of traditional dancers, who then process through the town, singing and dancing at pubs along the way. It is intended to route the procession to the festival site, where the teams will perform before the evening concerts begin. More..
Also happening...
In addition to
performers in the main marquee, there will be an open mike session marquee, a
dance display area, children’s and youths’ events, singarounds, and
opportunities to meet the artists.
There will be entertainments for children and the first day of the festival will
include a children’s education day followed by performances and a ceilidh in the
evening. Traditional music and dance teaching will take place in schools in the
area in the run-up to the event, conducted by several of the leading performers.
There will also be workshops and sessions throughout the town, and it is hoped
the
Workhouse, a National Trust Property, can be used for some of these. For
more details, click here
The festival
will include a beer and cider festival, with about 40 beers, mostly from micro breweries,
and will include several specially commissioned brews.
See you there!
| All major credit and debit cards accepted. |
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A limited number of free tickets are available for people prepared to offer accommodation for artists and who are prepared to act as stewards. For further information and ticket prices, click the email link on the menu above. Click >here< for a Steward's Application form.
