Tenterden Folk Festival 2024

Plans are now all in place for four days of folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions and all the details can be found in the free souvenir programme and on the website. Many outdoor events and events, events on the Recreation Ground and in public houses are free, but concerts and most indoor events are ticketed.

The festival gets started on Thursday evening with a concert of folk song and music from and about Kent performed by guest artists from Kent. Bob Kenward, John and Di Cullen, Julie and Gavin Atkin, and Sue Watson and Karen Scott will be introduced by Graeme Knights. Over the long weekend there will be seven concerts featuring a mix of internally know folk musicians and our regular local guest artists. There will also be an English barn dance with the Catsfield Steamers with dances called by Fee Lock and the popular Cinque Ports Sea Songs and Shanties Session compered by Chris Roche who know just about everything there is to know about shanties and has crewed sailing ships rounding Cape Horn. There will also be opportunities to Meet the Guests, a Squeezebox Showcase, workshops, The Boat Show with DryWood, and other exciting events. If you want a chance to join in the singing and playing you can go to one of the many free sing-a-rounds and music sessions. For the full guest list and programme of events check out the website www.tenterdenfolkfestival.org.uk.

Tickets prices are as follows:

Full Weekend - Adult £95.00, Youth 10 -16's £45.00 and Under 10’s £5.00 when bought with an adult ticket.

Camping passes: Caravan / Campervan £38.00 or Tent £36.00

Single event tickets are also available in advance for some events and will be available from the box office and on the door of events. Those available in advance include;

AKF Thursday concert £15.00

English Barn dance £14.00 (U16s £7.00)

Cinque Ports Sea Songs & Shanties £15.00 (U16s £6.00)

Main concerts each £15.00 (U16s £6.00)

For details of how to book your tickets online or by post go to https://tenterdenfolkfestival.com/gallery/Booking%20form%20Sept%20only%202024.pdf.

Saturday and Sunday are the days when the town will host at least 30 Morris sides and other folk dance display teams ranging from Woodchurch Morris, who have attended the festival every year for 31 years, to Morena Slovak Dancers who have been a popular feature of the festival for around 15 years. The Morris will be seen, and heard, dancing in the High Street, as well as outside the Museum, at the Old Dairy Tap Room, at Tesco and on the Dance Stage on the Recreation Ground as well as other places around the town from about 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Most of the 30 or so sides will also take part in the festival procession at 3:00 on Saturday when the gather near the War Memorial and dance all the way along the High Street to the Recreation Ground.

Also on Saturday there will be lots to see on the Recreation Ground including our craft fair and stalls, the Free music Stage and Dance stage. The huge marquee that will stretch from one side to the Rec. to the other will house around 40 craft and artisan stalls and there will be more freestanding stalls around the outside. New Romney Brewery and Nightingale Cider will provide a bar and food will also be available from Marsh Mobile Catering, a traditional curry stall and a chocolate and fruit stall. PJ Music will have a wide variety of music instruments and accessories from guitars to squeezeboxes. Other stalls will range from Designs on Silk, Romney Marsh Wools, Ella’s Beehives, jewelry, candles, artisan meads, fabric goods, visual art, glassware, plants and garden ware, local wine, wood turning and carving and hand made goods of all kinds.

Guest list https://tenterdenfolkfestival.com/Guests/

Morris sides https://tenterdenfolkfestival.com/Morris-dance-sides/

Full programme of events https://tenterdenfolkfestival.com/gallery/2024%20TFF%20Programme%20Web.pdf