Leigh Folk Festival 2012

Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th June 2012
Leigh-on-Sea, Southend, Essex, SS9 2ET, England MAP
FREE

Last updated: Mon 18th Jun 2012

Leigh Folk Festival takes place annually at Leigh-on-sea, in Essex. This year the festival takes place from Thursday 21st until Sunday 24th June 2012.

This is claimed to be "the largest free folk festival in the county", with hundreds of performers and thousands of spectators. Musicians and dancers entertain the crowds with events ranging from traditional and contemporary folk music, through to blues; plus Celtic, English and Scottish dance groups, country dancing, morris sides, African dancers, international folk dance, jive and line-dancing.

Line-up

Artists confirmed include Martin Carthy, Jez Lowe, Mawkin, Alasdair Roberts, Sharron Kraus, Danny & the Champions of the World, Tom McConville with Dave Newey, Darren Hayman, The Rockingbirds, Nancy Wallace, The Arlenes, Katriona Gilmore & Jamie Roberts, The Doomed Bird Of Providence and a great many more.

2012 also sees some new developments for the Leigh Folk Festival. On Saturday 23 June, Warrior Square in Southend-on-Sea will play host to Shangri La Meets the Leigh Folk Festival Uptown as part of Sparks Will Fly. Sparks Will Fly is an Essex-wide cultural celebration of the Olympic legacy. Shangri La is a monthly music night run in Southend at The Railway Hotel. All the usual Folk Festival fun will be happening in the Library Gardens in Leigh-on-Sea while Shangri La's Tom Burgess will be overseeing the satellite gig in Warrior Square, with a mix of contemporary folk and funk.

Leigh's 3 Flying Ducks Comedy Club kicks off the Leigh Folk Festival early this year with a special festival night on Thursday 21 June: Fake Thackray headlines with support from Helen Arney on ukulele.

On Sunday, the Clarendon Scout Hut will be the venue for Sokobauno's magical puppet show Galloshins. Dating back to the early 17th century, Galloshins is a folk drama originally performed around Halloween. With music from Alasdair Roberts, this promises to be a fabulous event for children and adults alike.

With a full programme of music across two stages in the Library Garden on Saturday 23, and six venues in Leigh Old Town on Sunday 24 June along with a mix of traditional and contemporary dance, plus story-round, sing-around and instrumental sessions on Friday evening.

All outdoor performances are free, with only a limited number of ticketed events.

On Thursday and Friday evenings, various singarounds and music sessions take place in Leigh's local pubs. Saturday's events are focused on the relaxed, pastoral setting of Leigh Library Gardens, while on Sunday the action shifts down to Old Leigh and the town's waterfront.

Special entertainment is laid on for children including storytelling, Punch & Judy, clowns, puppet shows, face-painting and a circus skills workshop.