Holmfirth Folk Festival 2011 Reviewed By Sue Sutherland

Holmfirth Folk Festival : 6^th – 8^th May, 2011-05-09

Editors Note:  Make no mistake, The Holmfirth Folk Festival is one of the best local music Festivals, being truely grounded in "the people".  The Village is always bustling, there is always a great atmosphere no matter what the weather, and it seems that no matter what time of day you visit there's always someone singing or playing an instrument.  

It's a Festival that The Mashers have never played at any level, the reason being that the one occassion that Myke and I went across we just got caught up in the whole scene and soaked ourselves in the music making of other people.  

This year I was unable to make it so I asked my Folkie spy Sue Sutherland to write a flavour of this years event.  So thanks to Sue for what follows.

 

Well we were unable to go to the whole weekend due to other commitments but on Sunday morning we set off to sample what was left of the festival. 

We arrived in a sleepy Holmfirth at around 10.30 am where the odd jaded looking folky was sitting around in the lovely morning sunlight. 

Apparently it has been quiet a wet Saturday evening with torrential rain and thunderstorms. Passing ‘The Nook’ brought back memories of another wild and wet night when the Masher’s performed to an audience of very few!  (surely not ed.)

We decided to have breakfast at Sid’s café passing numerous small venues on the way advertising workshops and small gatherings. 

Everything was well signed and The Sheffield Giants were poised ready to perform out side the Parish Church.

The first person we saw was Roy Blackman who joined us for breakfast and regaled us with his impression of the week- end so far. He had had a wonderful time, thought funding was less than previous years but thought the whole event was better off for it as it had been a real festival of folk. He was very impressed with the Maltby Sword Dancing Team and all the other street dancers.

We wandered around the centre of Holmfirth which had quite a buzz with numerous street entertainment including belly dancers, morris dancers and buskers. 

We went to a concert in the Parish Church which was free. Wendy Arrowsmith was just finishing her set and the ‘Young Un’s from Hartlepool followed.  Three fine young men who sing in harmony and they are worth seeing, put in your must do list.

Finally we went to The Old Bridge Inn to a Folk Club sessions run by Fyrish. It was a lovely session with sets from experienced performing artists as well as giving time to some excellent floor singers plus some poetry.

In conclusion I think the six or seven hours there transported us from anything else happening in the world to a day of sheer pleasure. 

The people who organise this event should give themselves a big pat on the back because it was truly a wonderful event.  Well done.

Sue Sutherland