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Latest news: 14/10/08
CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL DOWN TO LAST TEN IN 'BEST SMALLEST FESTIVAL'
CATEGORY
The Cambridge Folk Festival has been shortlisted in the category of
'Best Smallest Festival' at the 2008 UK Festival Awards. There are now
just 5 days of voting remaining. Don't forget that everyone who votes
will be entered into a prize draw to win tickets to every winning
festival!
For more information and to vote, please click here.
Previous news: 06/10/08
VOTE FOR THE CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL IN THE UK FESTIVAL
AWARDS...AND WIN TICKETS TO MORE FESTIVALS!
The 2008 UK Festival Awards will take place on 30 October in London.
The Cambridge Folk Festival is nominated in the categories of Best
Family Festival and Best Small Festival. If you would like to vote for
us then please click on the link below.
The 10 finalists in each festival category (and 5 in each artist
category) will be revealed on 13th October, with the overall winners
being decided by a second round of public voting, ending on 20th October
Everyone who votes will be entered into a prize draw to win tickets to
every winning festival!
For more information and to vote, please click here.
Previous news: 19/08/08
CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL COVERAGE ON BBC 4 THIS FRIDAY
BBC Four will be broadcasting the highlights of Cambridge Folk
Festival on Friday 29 August. There will be three half hour programmes
from 9.30PM - 11.00PM featuring Seth Lakeman, Noah and The Whale, Martha
Wainwright, Devon Sproule and The Imagined Village.
Check out the BBC
Four website for more information on these programmes.
**If you missed these programmes, you can watch them for a limited
time on BBC iPlayer.
Click here for
more details**
Previous news: 19/08/08
CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL WINS MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
The Cambridge Folk Festival, organised by Cambridge City Council Arts & Entertainments, was this week announced as one of the recipients of the prestigious A Greener Festival Award 2008 for their efforts in promoting environmentally friendly music festivals. Click here to read a full press release (pdf).
Previous news: 30/07/08
CAMBRIDGE EVENING NEWS LAUNCH FOLK FESTIVAL MINI SITE
The Cambridge Evening News have launched a new mini site on the Festival
which includes video footage.
Check it out by clicking here.
Previous news: 28/07/08
RICHARD HAWLEY REPLACES JOHN HIATT ON LINE-UP
We are pleased to announce that critically acclaimed singer-songwriter
and guitarist, Richard Hawley has been added to this year's line-up. He
replaces John Hiatt who cancelled his full European tour on Friday 25
July due to illness in his family.
For more info
on Richard Hawley click here.
Previous news: 25/07/08
FESTIVAL SOLD OUT
The 44th Cambridge Folk Festival is sold out. No tickets will be
available for purchase at the gate over the Festival weekend. Do not
travel to the Festival if you do not have a ticket.
Those who have not been able to obtain a ticket can still enjoy the
Festival via BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 2 website and BBC Four TV.
BBC Radio 2 coverage begins on Wednesday 30th July, 7-8pm, when Mike
Harding takes a look ahead to the festival.
Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie present a preview of the festival plus
live music from the opening night on Thursday 31st July, 8-10pm and
continue with a Saturday afternoon mix of music live from Cambridge in
Radcliffe & Maconie at Cambridge Folk Festival on Saturday 2nd August,
2-5pm.
On Monday 4th August, 8-10pm, Mark Radcliffe is joined by Mike Harding
for a round up of the festival weekend and on Wednesday 6th August,
7-8pm, Mike Harding features highlights from the four days.
The Festival is also covered online at bbc.co.uk/radio2, with photos,
video highlights, the Folk & Acoustic blog and podcast.
BBC Four will broadcast highlights from the Festival.
The 44th Cambridge Folk Festival is promoted by Cambridge City Council
Arts & Entertainments. Sponsor and broadcast partner BBC Radio 2,
online, on digital and on 88-91 FM, will bring you live broadcasts and
highlights from the Festival.
Previous news: 24/07/08
Folk Festival announces details of local arts project - get
involved this week!
If you are aged between 11 and 17 and live in Cherry Hinton then join us
this Saturday (26 July) for some creative fun. Help us make some backdrops and
other decorations for this year's Festival.
Join us on at the young people's Saturday 26th July until Wednesday
30th July, 2.00 – 4.00pm Daily
Meet at the young persons Marquee Cherry Hinton Hall. Please remember
to bring an old t-shirt and protect your clothes
Previous news: 24/07/08
Radio 2 presenters Mark Radcliffe and Mike Harding give their predictions for the ones to watch at the Festival. Click here to see who they are tipping this year.
Previous news: 16/07/08
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GETTING TO THE 2008 FESTIVAL
People attending this year’s Folk Festival are being advised to
avoid road works on Hills Road bridge, which are being carried out as
part of Cambridge's Guided Busway project.
The road works have been in place since May this year so an underpass
can be built for buses, cyclists and pedestrians to travel from the
Railway Station to Addenbrooke’s and Trumpington without using busy
local roads.
Eddie Barcan, Folk Festival Manager said, “Our traffic plan and AA road
signs actually avoid Hills Road anyway because we know this is already a
busy local route.
“However, we also wanted to let people know about the road works in case
anyone was thinking of using their own route only to find themselves
stuck in the road works.”
Cambridgeshire County Council introduced new bus lanes on the approaches
to Hills Road bridge in May to reduce delays for buses in the road
works. Buses running to the Festival will make use of these lanes.
The road works on Hills Road bridge will limit traffic to one lane in
each direction during the Folk Festival from Thursday 31 July to Sunday
3 August.
Festival organisers have also arranged for an energy company to suspend
their road works on Cherry Hinton Road and Fulbourn Road from 5pm on
July 29 to August 6 to ensure easy access in and out of the festival.
All drivers are advised to follow the AA signage for the event and use
directions as detailed on the 'Getting There' page.
Click here for
more info.
Previous news: 16/07/08
This
year Cambridge Folk Festival is introducing a system or of reusing
plastic pint glasses at our bars, which is going to have a major impact
on the tidiness of the site and reduce the number of glasses that we
waste.
Because we want to maintain a traditionally pulled pint, we have to use
rigid plastic glasses and not cardboard ones. In previous year's we have
used around 40,000 plastic glasses, many of which have ended up
littering the site and are hard to pick up once they become shattered
and embedded in the ground.
This year we are introducing a mandatory deposit on all plastic pint
glasses, which will drastically reduce the number that we need. Whilst
some customers might be concerned about the initial deposit cost, they
will be able to get this money back when they leave the festival. The
glasses have also been attractively printed and we envisage that many
people will want to keep them as souvenirs and re-use when they get home
as well as at the festival, (rather like the glass tankards which we
already produce).
If customers are concerned that their glasses have become dirty, there
will be machines to give them a quick wash, though we hope people will
use this sparingly in order to save water, as it takes 1/4 pint of water
to rinse each glass. We hope people will cooperative and not demand a
clean glass everytime they order a pint as that would rather defeat the
objective. Age restrictions will apply when deposits are returned to
ensure that children do not claim unattended glasses.
Previous news:
IMPORTANT: If you have purchased a ticket at a reduced price for
Cambridge City residents, then you must bring proof of Cambridge City
residence for each ticket when entering the Festival. Failure to produce
adequate proof of residence on entry for each ticket will result in you
being asked to return home to obtain adequate proof, or you will be
required to pay the difference on entry, which will not be refunded.
Previous news:
2008 FESTIVAL BLOG IS LAUNCHED
The 2008 Festival blog (online diary) is now up and running. To see
the latest entry please visit the
'Community' page of this site.
FESTIVAL TICKETS
Full Festival, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
tickets are now sold out.
Coldhams Common camping is still available to Full Festival ticket
holders.
Thursday night tickets are still available for Cambridge City
Residents - to book these please call 01223 357851
No tickets will be available for purchase at the gate over the Festival
weekend.
Please do not travel to the Festival if you do not have a ticket.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2008
Here's a list of the some of the key highlights to look forward to
at the Festival this year:
Another 'cool as folk' line-up, featuring the best in contemporary
folk and roots music, sees world- renowned headliners alongside
up-and-coming new artists. Rare and special performances include k.d.
lang, Joan Armatrading, The Imagined Village, Billy Bragg, John Hiatt,
Judy Collins, Allen Toussaint, Martha Wainwright, The Waifs, Laura
Marling and Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba.
The Festival’s tradition of introducing young, up and coming artists
continues with Club Tent Showcases from: the hotly tipped and
mesmerising singer and fiddle player Bella Hardy; stunning Irish-born
and former Cherish The Ladies’ lead singer, Heidi Talbot; Kate Rusby
favourite, Ruth Notman, acclaimed for her pure and powerful voice;
respected Essex instrumental outfit and Devon singer Mawkin:Causley;
vibrant teenage folk-rockers Wheeler Street.
A very special Scottish Showcase, funded by the Scottish Arts Council,
which features some of their best established musicians alongside young
up and coming Scottish folk artists appearing at the Festival.
Print media partners MOJO magazine will present The MOJO Interview,
with Billy Bragg, Martin Carthy, Simon Emmerson and Chris Wood talking
about Englishness and folk music.
BBC Radio 2, who remain committed to the event as a sponsor, shall be
recording and broadcasting highlights from the Festival, as shall BBC
Four.
Previous news:
Cambridge is really broadminded in its definition of folk,
whilst still being passionate about traditional music. We couldn't
resist this joke at the expense of anyone who might still think that
folk is all beards, jumpers and 'fingers-in-the-ear'. For an alternative
view on the folk world why not enjoy the artwork of David Owen from The
Ink Corporation. David's artwork will be adorning the fences of the
Festival's arenas this year with such gems as the one below.
For more information on The Ink Corporation click here.
FOLK FESTIVAL LINE-UP CONFIRMED
k.d. lang Joan Armatrading Levellers
The Imagined Village Billy Bragg John Hiatt
Judy Collins Allen Toussaint Seth Lakeman
Eric Bibb Eliza Carthy Martha Wainwright
The Waifs Altan Peatbog Faeries Tim
O’Brien Karine Polwart Michael McGoldrick Band
Laura Marling Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba Tunng
Kíla Devon Sproule Chris Wood
Cherryholmes Brian McNeill Mauvais Sort
Lisa Knapp Hot 8 Brass Band Beoga
Grupo Fantasma Frank Turner Whapweasel
Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson Elizabeth Cook
The Chair 3 Daft Monkeys Noah & The Whale
Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller 6 Day Riot Kidsamonium
Findlay Napier & The Bar Room Mountaineers Megson
The Shivers
An eclectic and exciting bill, featuring the best in contemporary
folk and roots music, has been announced by Europe’s most acclaimed Folk
Festival. The Festival's reputation for quality music in intimate
surroundings means tickets are set to sell out quickly. Early
booking is strongly advised.
Many unique performances will include: an exclusive UK outdoor Festival
appearance by multiple Grammy Award winning Canadian songwriter and
stunning singer k.d. lang; sublime singer, songwriter and
guitarist Joan Armatrading, who recently became the first UK
female artist to be nominated for a Grammy in the blues category;
proudly celebrating their 20th anniversary and set to release a new
album, Letters from the Underground, festival favourites the
Levellers; multi-cultural collective The Imagined Village,
including Martin Carthy, Eliza Carthy, Billy Bragg, Sheila Chandra,
Johnny Kalsi, Simon Emmerson and Chris Wood, with stunning
interpretations of English traditional compositions; the great English
performer, songwriter and activist Billy Bragg making one of only
two festival appearances this summer in England; US country-blues
musician and acclaimed songwriter John Hiatt, appearing solo; a
rare UK Festival appearance from legendary American singer and social
activist Judy Collins; a rare UK Festival appearance from one of
the most influential figures in New Orleans music, pianist, writer and
producer Allen Toussaint; Mercury Music Prize nominated, English
folk singer-songwriter Seth Lakeman, performing songs from his
new album Poor Man's Heaven; leading American blues troubadour Eric
Bibb, appearing with his band; one of the figureheads of the English
folk revival, singer, writer and multi-instrumentalist Eliza Carthy;
gritty Canadian-American folk pop singer Martha Wainwright; an
exclusive UK Festival appearance from previous Cambridge hits,
Australia’s The Waifs; premier traditional Irish folk band from
Donegal, Altan; uplifting celtic dance band Peatbog Faeries
from the Isle of Skye; Grammy Award winning US folk artist, bluegrass
singer and multi-instrumentalist Tim O’Brien, appearing with John
McCusker & Arty McGlynn.
Special appearances continue with: acclaimed Scottish singer songwriter
Karine Polwart, blending folk, roots and indie influences;
vibrant Irish traditional music and instrumental virtuosity from the
Michael McGoldrick Band; fast rising and highly praised English
folk-pop singer-songwriter Laura Marling, who at just 18 shows
great musical maturity and all the signs of being one to watch in 2008;
thrilling Malian desert blues from Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba,
winner of the Album of the Year at the Awards for World Music;
experimental folktronica band Tunng, agreeing to their only
appearance at a folk festival this summer; a unique blend of Irish
traditional, global and dance music influences from Kíla;
Virginia-based singer-songwriter Devon Sproule, combining
elements of folk, country, blues and jazz; uncompromising and timeless
traditional English folk musician Chris Wood; an exclusive UK
outdoor Festival appearance from Nashville-based, dynamic family
bluegrass band Cherryholmes; Scottish folk composer and
multi-instrumentalist Brian McNeill, leading the Festival
Session; Quebecois band Mauvais Sort, presenting innovative
contemporary arrangements of traditional songs; 2007’s MOJO Folk Album
of the Year winner Lisa Knapp; New Orleans' finest, Hot 8
Brass Band, merging hip-hop, jazz and funk; one of Irelands most
exciting new acts Beoga, bridging a gap between tradition and
modern fusion; one of the finest latin funk bands to come out of the US
in a decade, 11 piece Grupo Fantasma, known for their exhuberant
live shows and supporting Prince; the wonderful bittersweet acoustic
bite of former punk front-man Frank Turner; award winning English
dance band Whapweasel to host a ceilidh.
More eagerly anticipated performances include: boundary-defying pipe
music from Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson; the sassy swagger of
American country vocalist Elizabeth Cook; high energy Orkney band
The Chair, taking their first trip into the English festival
circuit; dynamic Cornish, world-influenced and upbeat acoustic band 3
Daft Monkeys; infectious and hotly tipped, folk-tinged pop from
Noah & The Whale; BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winners Jeana
Leslie & Siobhan Miller; catchy melodies and instrumental
sophistication from 6 Day Riot; Kidsamonium adapting their
award winning jazz improvisation children's show especially for a folk
audience; Findlay Napier & The Bar Room Mountaineers, a
song-focused band taking Scottish traditional material and presenting it
in an elegant new light; acoustic nu-folk and country flavoured duo
Megson; Cambridge's own fine acoustic rock and roll band The
Shivers.
All artists are subject to contract
Aged 11-18? Into Folk Music? Want a chance to perform
live in the Club Tent at the Cambridge Folk Festival on Sunday 3 August
2008?
We've a limited number of free tickets to the fantastic Cambridge Folk
Festival, for people to participate in band workshops at The Hub youth
music area and get the chance to perform with The Hub Band in the Club
Tent on Sunday 8 August 2008 evening.
To enter you'll need to send in a maximum of 3 tracks, on CD together
with information about yourself, including your age, by 22 May 2008 to:
Young Musician Competition
Cambridge Folk Festival
Cambridge City Council
The Guildhall, Cambridge, Cambs, CB2 3QJ
Winners will be selected according to the strength and suitability of
their music and will be notified by 6 June 2008.
The competition is open to individuals or bands. Under 14’s will need to
be accompanied by a responsible adult. Weekend passes for winners
(including camping at Coldhams Common) will be sent out by the first
week in July.
IMPORTANT: Competition tickets are extremely limited. If you wish
to attend the Festival regardless of whether you win tickets or not, you
should buy them in the normal manner when they go on sale, before they
sell out.
For more info contact the Cambridge Folk Festival Office on 01223 457
555
After a decade of successful sponsorship from BBC Radio 2, including four years as title sponsor, the opportunity has arisen for a new partner to become associated at the highest level, with the highly prestigious and internationally regarded Cambridge Folk Festival, from 2008 onwards.
We would like to thank BBC Radio 2 for their highly valued contribution to the Festival over the past years. BBC Radio 2 have already pledged their broadcast support for 2008 and we look forward to working with them in the future.
Major sponsorship of the Cambridge Folk Festival would bring many benefits of association to any business. If you would like to discuss this, or other Cambridge Folk Festival sponsorship opportunities, further or would like more information about it please contact:
Eddie Barcan on 01223 457 555 or eddie.barcan@cambridge.gov.uk
Cambridge City Council Arts & Entertainments are extremely grateful to all our sponsors and supporters whose contributions help enormously towards making the BBC Radio 2 Cambridge Folk Festival run as smoothly as ever. We would especially like to thank our title sponsor BBC Radio 2 whose support includes extensive radio and web coverage of the Festival.
We would also like to thank:
The Co-operative Group for their sponsorship of the Crèche
Cambridge Printing, the printing business of Cambridge University Press who sponsor and have redesigned the Festival website
Stagecoach Cambridge for their sponsorship and provision of the bus transport services to the Festival.
UNISON for their support to ensure the Festival's continued high standards of facilities for disabled people.
PRS Foundation who support the new music and artists in the Club Tent.
MOJO who are our print media partners and also run the artist signing tent at the Festival
BBC 4 who broadcast highlights of the Festival.
If you would like to discuss becoming a sponsor or supporter of part of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Festival please do not hesitate to contact:
Eddie Barcan, Cambridge City Council eddie.barcan@cambridge.gov.uk
Promoted by
Sponsor and Broadcast partner
Crêche sponsor
Transport sponsor
Supporters
