Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival

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, and taken over by the local council in 2011 when the original committee were unable to continue with the event.[1] In 2008, the festival was declared among the top three folk festivals in England by Guardian Online.[2]

History

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

The festival

Since 1990 there has been an annual folk music and (canal) boat festival, which is now highly regarded on the folk circuit[3][4] 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.

Artistes

Poster depicting artistes Ade Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Hat Fitz & Cara, The Peace Artistes, Emma Stevens, Brian McCombe Band, Moulettes, Headsticks, Merry Hell, Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, Africa Entsha, Jessica Rhodes
2014 Poster showing artistes

2014 (13 - 15 June)[5]

2013 (14 - 16 June)[6]

2012 (15 - 17 June)

Including

2011 (17 - 19 June)

2010 (18 - 20 June) - 20th Anniversary Celebration

INCLUDING

2009 (19 - 21 June)

2008 (13 - 15 June)

Including

2007 (15 - 17 June)

2006 (16 - 18 June)

2005 (17 - 19 June)

2004 (18 - 20 June)

2003 (13 - 15 June)

2002 (14 - 16 June)

2001 (15 - 17 June CANCELLED)

Cancelled due to Foot-and-mouth disease

2000 (16 - 18 June)

1999 (18 - 20 June)

1998 (19 - 21 June)

1997 (20 - 22 June)

1996 (14 - 16 June)

Notes

  1. ↑ "Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival saved from sinking by town council".
  2. ↑ "Folk on the water at top music festival". icCheshireOnline. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  3. ↑ Dominiczak, Peter (23 April 2008). "10 top folk festivals". Guardian Online (London). Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  4. ↑ "Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival". The Mudcat Cafe. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  5. ↑ "Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival 2014 Line Up".
  6. ↑ "Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival 2013 Line Up".

External links

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