Can you help out at Whitchurch folk festival?
The second edition of the revived Whitchurch Folk Festival is confirmed for Saturday, May 10.
The Whitchurch Folk Festival – the Hampshire one – grew out of Whitchurch Folk Club. Originally known as the Red House Folk Club, the current iteration was relaunched in 2017 by Paul Sartin and Jon Wilks. Both Covid and Paul’s untimely death in 2022 saw the club faltering for a while, but it has now returned – under new management – with a full and exciting lineup.
The club aims to maintain the original vision, set out by Paul and Jon, of bringing some of the UK’s finest folk musicians to the picturesque town of Whitchurch, Hampshire, offering world-class concerts and gigs in an intimate and inclusive setting.
Whitchurch Folk Club is not a folk club in the traditional sense. While Paul and Jon originally ran regular sessions, these fell away when the local pub (The Red House) was closed pre-Covid. The current club is essentially a concert series which takes place in a few of the town’s most cherished venues, meaning that you get to see the likes of Eliza & Martin Carthy, Martin Simpson and tonnes of up-and-comers in All-Hallows Church or the local Parish Hall.
The next gig will be Ainsley Hamill with Sam Kelly and Toby Shaer on March 8, 7.30pm to 10pm.
Ainsley’s third album Fable has just been released. A former finalist in the prestigious BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Music competition, she is noted for her big voice with a touch of wildness. Her accompanished trio includes Sam Kelly of The Lost Boys and Toby Shaer who plays an impossibly large number of instruments, and has toured with John McCusker and Cara Dillon as well as being a regular with Honey & The Bear and The Lost Boys.
Whitchurch Parish Hall, 28 London Street, RG28 7LQ, Whitchurch, Hampshire.
This year’s full day folk festival features Martin Simpson, Leveret and Jon Wilks, plus an extensive free festival of children’s events, dance, food, drink and crafts. New this year, a Friday evening warm-up gig with Bonfire Radicals.
Whitchurch Festival is looking for help on May 10. To keep as much free of charge to local people, they need volunteers. Tasks include checking ticketholders into paid gigs, marshalling at the children’s festival, shaking tins for donations during the parade, helping at the merch desk and more. There is also some packing away on the Sunday.
