The Big Session expands to 3 days in 2016

The Big Session 2016

Friday 29th April to Sunday 1st May 2016
Buxton Opera House, Water Street, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6XN, England MAP
from £86 for the weekend

Last updated: Mon 18th Apr 2016

Adter it's sold-out successful return last year, The Big Session returns to Buxton, Derbyshire now over three nights and two days, from Friday 29th April to Sunday 1st May 2016.

Hosted by Oysterband, folk acts appearing in the spa town of Buxton in the Peak District to welcome in May include hosts Oysterband, with June Tabor, and Sam Carter, plus Seth Lakeman supported by Lucy Ward, as well as Edward II, Will Pound, and Eddy Jay, and the Emily Portman Trio.

There will also be a huge beer hall hosting a festival of more than 100 real ales and providing the setting for the Big Session Ceilidh with the Oysterband and guests, and music sessions throughout the weekend led by Big Session concert artists and other special guests.

Fringe activities include a Saturday morning birding bus trip and walk through the upper Goyt Valley to look for Pied Flycatchers, ending in a pub lunchtime music session with an Irish flavour, led by flautist Terry Clarke-Coyne.

The 11.49 from Manchester Piccadilly calling all stations to Buxton on the same day will be a dedicated Folk Train with music all the way, arriving in time for the afternoon session in the beer hall.

On Sunday morning Oysterband’s John Jones leads the festival ramble and his Reluctant Ramblers in the hills around the town.

Further fringe activities are to be announced.

buy tickets soon >

Tickets are priced from £86 for a weekend ticket which includes admission to all five concerts, the ceilidh, and all sessions and fringe activities. Plus access to the Beer Festival for all open sessions. Tickets go on sale at 10am tomorrow, Friday 16th October.

Tickets for individual events will go on sale from 1 December 2015.

Passengers on the Folk Train will need to pay the normal fare, and there will be a fare for the transport for the Goyt Valley trip.

The Big Session grew out of the spirit of after-hours music sessions between artists and festival goers and started in 2005 at De Montfort Hall, before taking to the road and hosting a day at Devon's Beautiful Days Festival in 2011, with the Catton Hall event happening the following year.

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