CLECKHEATON Folk Festival is returning to the town this summer after a break of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Festival director David Minich says that he and the committee are working hard to bring the usual concerts, sing-a-rounds, musician sessions and street entertainment together for another fantastic weekend of music and fun.
The 2022 folk festival, which will be the 33rd time it has been held, is scheduled to take place in just over five weeks, on the weekend of Friday to Sunday, July 1 to 3.
All the artists who signed up to perform at the 2020 event have carried forward their booking with concerts going ahead at the Town Hall and Masonic Lodge.
Organisers have said that due to circumstances outside of their control, they are unable to host a street market this year, but the usual monthly farmers’ market will be held on Saturday morning.
Mr Minich added: “We hope that the Festival Street Market will be included in our 2023 event when the festival will take part in the Kirklees ‘Year of Music 2023’.”
As usual, the festival will start the Saturday events with the traditional Morris parade at 11am from the Fire Station followed by street entertainment. The Saturday afternoon ceilidh in the Town Hall is an event for the community and is free entry, so both young old are encouraged to go along and join in.
There are a number of indoor concerts over the weekend. In addition, there are musician sessions, sing-a-rounds, workshops and Morris dancing as well as a free family fun day on the Sunday on Savoy Square.
The whole of the festival this year will be dedicated to the memory of its founder and former director Geoff Pickles, who passed away in April this year. It follows the last festival held in 2019, which was dedicated to the memory of his wife Jan, who died in 2018.
Organisers say they are always on the lookout for new committee members, so are appealing for anyone who feels like they could become more involved with the running of the festival, to get in touch.
Email dave@cleckheatonfokfestival.org - or speak to someone at the festival desk in the Town Hall over the Festival weekend.
Ticket sales are already going very well with weekend tickets from £84 and individual concert tickets from £23, which are still available from Eventbrite or by visiting cleckheatonfolkfestival.org for more information.
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