TIMETABLE AMSERLEN
NEW FOR 2023: FREE ENTRY TO MAGNIFICENT TREDEGAR HOUSE AND GARDENS (WORTH UP TO £11PP) IS INCLUDED WITH EVERY FESTIVAL TICKET NEWYDD AM 2023: MYNEDIAD AM DDIM I DŶ TREDEGAR A’I GERDDI GODIDOG (WERTH HYD AT £11 I BOB PERSON) GYDA PHOB TOCYN I’R ŴYL
ALL FREE EVENTS ARE IN GREEN
ALL PAID-FOR, TICKETED EVENTS ARE IN RED
Times for our dance displays will be in our printed programme available on-site. You’ll notice we have so much going on that some events overlap. But if you have a full weekend ticket you get access to everything so you can hop in and out of stuff, whether it’s paid-for or free. Otherwise, paid-for event tickets are only valid for that particular event. Of course, free events are open to all (space permitting). One important bit of housekeeping…
IF YOU’RE CAMPING OVER THE WEEKEND, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU VACATE THE SITE BY TUESDAY, 10am AT THE VERY, VERY LATEST
Online ticket sales close at MIDDAY ON THE DAY OF THAT SHOW. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the festival. Physical sales on site will be CASH ONLY not card.
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FRIDAY .
7pm-11.15pm(ish) GRAND OPENING CONCERT .
In our Main Concert Marquee with (in order of appearance): Dewdropper, Lowri Evans, Phil Beer, Merry Hell
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8pm-11.30pm(ish) INTERNATIONAL CEILIDH .
In the Marcus Music Marquee with the dancers and bands of teams from Wales, Britain and Europe.
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8pm-11.30pm(ish) MARCUS & OLD FRIENDS SESSION .
In the Morgan Room. Bring your voices, instruments and souls to an evening of music in the round celebrating the memory of Marcus Butler, founder member of this festival and creator of Marcus Music.
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SATURDAY .
10am-4pm. FARMERS’ MARKET .
In the main festival parkland. Run by Cotelydon, experts in local farmers’ markets, with loads of craft and yummy food stalls.
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10.30am-11.30am. PIPE & DRUMS WORKSHOP .
In the Marcus Music Marquee, led by Geraint and Tracy Roberts.
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10.30am-12noon. SONGWRITING WORKSHOP .
In The Old Laundry, led by Phil Millichip whose songs are folk club favourites, covered by many including the great Vin Garbutt
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11am-12noon. WELSH DANCE WORKSHOP .
In the Courtyard Marquee, run by the dancers of Gwerinwyr Gwent, a team at the heart of the art form in South Wales. Bring your dancing shoes.
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11am-5.30pm. DANCE DISPLAYS .
In the Courtyard Marquee and Marcus Music Marquee. Detailed timings for each team are in our printed programme available on site. Besides these two venues, expect to see extra dancing just about anywhere outside as weather permits.
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12noon-3pm. FREE CONCERT .
In the Community Centre with (in order of appearance) The Rob Lear Band, The Eclectic Shed Experience, Will Pound & Jenn Butterworth. During this concert we’ll also introduce the festival’s songwriting competition winner Frankie Wesson who’ll sing her winning song.
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12.30pm. SATURDAY GRAND PARADE .
Held in the main festival field, this is the grand parade of all dance teams and bands in costume. One of the greatest sights of all British folk dancing festivals.
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TIMES AND VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON. DAN THE HAT .
We’ll have two performances today by brilliant Dan The Hat, Britain’s greatest family and children’s entertainer. We’ll get you times and venues as soon as possible.
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3.30pm-6.30pm. FOLK CLUB .
In the Community Centre and run jointly by the Lyceum Folk Club of Newport and Llantrisant Folk Club.
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7pm-11.30(ish). GRAND CONCERT .
In our Main Concert Marquee with (in order of appearance) Frankie Wesson, VRï, Blackbeard’s Tea Party, John Kelly & Friends, Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening.
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8pm-11.30(ish). CEILIDH .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. Bring your dancing shoes for an amazing night in the company of ceilidh dance band Juice and caller extraordinaire Ned Clamp.
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SUNDAY .
10am-4pm. FARMERS’ MARKET .
In the main festival parkland. Run by Green Top Events, experts in local farmers’ markets, with loads of craft and yummy food stalls.
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10.30am-11.30am. SPOONS WORKSHOP .
In the Morgan Room, run by one of the greats - Patti ‘Spoons’ Smith. Fear not, spoons provided.
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10.45am-11.45am. APPALACHIAN DANCE WORKSHOP .
In the Courtyard Marquee. Led by Aurora, a display dance team from Devon. Lots of fun and high energy. Blow away the cobwebs from Saturday night!
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11.15am-11.45am. DAN THE HAT .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. Crowds can’t get enough of him. Stuntman, juggler, comic…Dan The Hat does it all.
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12noon-3pm. SINGAROUND .
In The Old Laundry, singaround run by Ann Parsons. Accompanied and unaccompanied songs and tunes welcome.
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12.30pm. SUNDAY GRAND PARADE .
Held in the main festival field, this is the grand parade of all dance teams and bands in costume. One of the greatest sights of all British folk dancing festivals.
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1pm-5.30pm. DANCE DISPLAYS .
In the Courtyard Marquee and Marcus Music Marquee. Detailed timings for each team are in our printed programme available on site. Besides these two venues, expect to see extra dancing just about anywhere outside as weather permits.
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1pm-3pm. FREE CONCERT, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY IRISH SESSION FROM 3.30pm-5.30pm(ish). .
In the Community Centre for both sessions. Run by experts Bernie Kilbride and Imogen Flute, this is an Irish-themed concert featuring two of the finest Irish folk acts on the planet: in order of appearance: the mighty Gatehouse band then Riverdance’s fiddle genius Niamh Ní Charra. This concert will be immediately followed (as soon as we rearrange the chairs!) by an Irish music session starring….well, anyone who wants to join in. Gatehouse may well stay for this so you could be playing next to stars. This is a show that deserves a big, big audience so even if you’re not a player for the session, do come and listen. You’re in for a treat.
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2.30pm-3.30pm. BELLY DANCING WORKSHOP .
In the Morgan Room, run by the experts from the Jawahir Dance Group in their 20th year performing at this festival. Go on, you know you want to!
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4pm-8.15pm(ish). GRAND CONCERT .
In our Main Concert Marquee, this is the big one with (in order of appearance) Will Pound and Jenn Butterworth, then a short but very special performance by India Dance Wales, then Bob Fox, Jez Lowe & Julie Matthews (all three playing together), then The Hennessys and, finally, Barbara Dickson with Nick Holland.
(PLEASE BE AWARE that, in early previous advertising, Alaw were due to appear at this concert and include, as part of their set, a joint performance with India Dance Wales. Due to circumstances entirely beyond their control, Alaw cannot now appear, but India Dance Wales will still perform to a recording of Alaw’s magnificent music.)
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8.30pm(ish)-11.30pm. FOLK CLUB .
In our Marcus Music Marquee immediately following our grand concert. Folk club run by Newport Folk Club (and we may even persuade some festival stars to pop in, so this a folk club and then some!) Worth staying late for, especially as Monday is a bank holiday and not a work day.
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MONDAY .
10am-4pm. FARMERS’ MARKET .
In the main festival parkland. Run by Green Top Events, experts in local farmers’ markets, with loads of craft and yummy food stalls.
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11am-12noon. WELSH TUNES .
In the Courtyard Marquee, and run by Patti Smith, an opportunity to hear - and to play on any instrument if you wish - some of the great folk tunes of Wales.
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12noon-12.30pm: DAN THE HAT .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. The first of two chances today to see Britain’s greatest festival family entertainer in action. Bring the kids, bring everyone, but most of all bring your sense of humour!
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12noon-5pm(ish) FREE RELAXED CONCERT .
In the Main Concert Marquee. This is a deliberately long concert with lots of acts playing relatively short sets. It’s designed so that people feel comfortable about dipping in and out. The content and the seating plan is designed specially for people who might normally be overwhelmed by crowds or a festival experience. It is, of course, open to all but please be accepting of those who might need understanding to make the most of the day. It will feature (in order of appearance) Trevor Pugsley, Chris Moreton, Synergy, Phil Millichip, The African Dancers, Brian Pugsley, Greg Rowlands, Bois Y Bryn, John Kelly, Jez Lowe and Bob Fox.
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1pm-2.30pm. FREE FAMILY CEILIDH .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. Our two previous ceilidhs at this festival have been ticketed events in the evenings. If you’ve never let your hair down at a ceilidh before, this is your big chance. It’s for all the family, so children are welcome too.
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2pm-6pm. GUITAR & BANJO-PICKING SESSION .
In the Courtyard Marquee led by one of Britain’s greatest pickers Chris Moreton. Bring your instruments and join in a guitar-fest of bluegrass, country and folk picking (and anything else we can think of).
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3pm-3.30pm. DAN THE HAT .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. The final chance of the festival to see this remarkable force of nature.
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3.45pm-4.15pm. AFRICAN DANCE WORKSHOP .
In the Marcus Music Marquee. For those who’ve got any energy left, this is a brilliant way to end the day (and there’s still time afterwards to pop back over to the Main Concert Marquee to catch the end of the concert.)
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AND DON’T FORGET…
IF YOU’RE CAMPING OVER THE WEEKEND, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU VACATE THE SITE BY TUESDAY, 10am AT THE VERY, VERY LATEST
KEEP CHECKING BACK HERE…
FOR NEXT YEAR’S FESTIVAL DATES.
INFO COMING SOON
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