Wimborne Minster Folk Festival

Did you enjoy the wonderful Antoine and Owena at this year's festival? You'll be delighted to know that they have just released an album, recorded at Realworld Studio and its available on Spotify and iTunes.

We are having a quiet time at the moment - time to review and reflect on last year's festival and plan for next year's. It also gives us time to enjoy other Festivals and if you love Folk Festivals, you will absolutely love Bridport Folk Festival, on this coming weekend (27th, 28th & 29th July) at locations all over Bridport . They have some great names including Reg Meuross, Geoff Lakeman, Richard Digance, Oka Vanga, The Polly Morris Band and many, many more - plus dance, stalls, children's activities, workshops, story telling...I could go on and on as there's so much happening, but best if you have a look at their website yourself. The action is pretty much non-stop all through Saturday and Sunday with music in Bucky-Doo Square and the Electric Palace on Friday! https://www.bridportfolkfestival.com/

Just Sing - here are some more photos of you by John Tilsley.

Didn't the SUEZ UK team of cleaners do a wonderful job keeping our streets clean and rubbish free during the festival - I am sure you will join with us in thanking them for their hard work. We have had some questions about recycling - rest assured that recyclable materials were separated from the general waste by the Suez team behind the scenes - after it had been cleared from the streets but before it left Wimborne. A decision was taken to do this rather than have lots of separate bins in such a crowded area. See the Suez website for more information about their waste disposal work: www.sita.co.uk

Got WMFF withdrawal symptoms and next June seems a very long way away? Don't despair, just get down to Poole Quay this Saturday (30th June 2018) from 11am for the free Folk On The Quay festival, supported by Poole Tourism. Lots of your favourite dance sides from Wimborne with be peforming including - Anonymous Morris, The Bourne River Morris Men, Hobos Border Morris, Sarum Morris, Quayside Cloggies, Spank the Planks, Blackrock School of Irish Dance and Zlaten Klas - and mor...e besides (like Enigma Border Morris, Mayflower Morris & Fleet Morris). They also have some fantastic music on their harbourside stages - Jackie Oates, The Eskies, Ushti Baba, Threepenny Bit, Fly Yeti Fly, Whitherward, The Dillyboys, Ma Polaine's Great Decline, Thom Ashworth, Hannah Scott, The Shackleton Trio, Catherine Burke (Musician),Solana and two acts you may have enjoyed at Wimborne - amazing newcomers Antoine & Owena and much-loved local favourites, Wareham Whalers. Add to all this a ceilidh, a Longsword Workshop and music in the pubs (Jully Sailor, Rope & Anchor, The Stable & Drfit Micro Bar) and you have a fabulous free day out in the sunshine (donations welcome to help cover the costs!).
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Fantastic photos from our Friday Night Comedy Night by Jo Elkington Photography, one of our official photographers

The festival photos are up on the website! They will be linked from the Home Page soon but you can get to them via the 2018 Galleries link. There are more to come but it's a start. This year we have listened to your feedback and they are in different albums: Dance, Music, Workshop, Procession, Willow Walk and Live & Loud - though it isn't really feasible to break them down into smaller albums within these sections. There will also be a Video Gallery up soon. I would like to give a huge thank you to Richard our Webmaster for his hard work in getting the galleries up so fast and to all our photographers for processing and sending their photos to us so quickly! https://wimbornefolk.co.uk/gallery/galler y2018.php

A lovely album of photos - mostly music - by another of our photographers, Phoebe of Phoebe Reeks Photography. This album includes the fanatstic Family Ceilidh with Murphy's Lore - and we have had a request for photos of this event. I have tried to tag as many artists as I can - if have tagged you incorrectly, I am sure you will let me know. If you can add any tages I have missed, please do.

Another round of well deserved thanks from Kadia (The Band) for the help and support of the Minster artists at this year's Wimborne Minster Folk Festival. Featuring a suite of stunning images from festival photographer Jo Elkington Photography.

What a treat to catch one of the festival's many quality acts warming up 'backstage' at the Minster. We were thrilled to be hosting Roswell - band over the festival weekend at Kadia (The Band)'s Minster stage.

Some great photos by one of our official photographers, John Tilsley, who was stationed in and around The Square and the top end of the High Street on Sunday. He has more to come - this is just a taster!

At Wimborne Minster Folk Festival we like to encourage youngsters in our local schools to get involved with the festival and learn to dance - it's the way these wonderful old traditions will be handed down to the next generation. Indeed members of several of our local dance teams visit the schools and pass on their knowledge to the children, teaching them their dances or accompanying them musically using traditional instruments. The children respond with amazing energy and enthusiasm which is lovely to see. They always put on a wonderful performance at the festival and I have been asked by one of the teachers if I can showcase them on this page. It's a pleasure! We look forward to seeing them all again next year.

Sorting out a couple of photos request this evening. The first is a request for photos of Just Sing. Does anyone else have any good ones? There were lots of cameras there but the crowd was so big it was hard to get clear shots of the whole stage! These are the ones I have been sent by our photograpers so far but I will add more if I get them.

Dorsetbays Photography were delighted to be on the official Wimborne Minster photography team again this year and concentrated on dance, outdoor workshops, stalls, people and around the site.The photos can be found here - please tag and share. https://www.facebook.com/pg/DorsetbaysPho tography/photos/?tab=albums

We were so lucky to have Jo Elkington Photography on our Festival Photography team this year - check out her stunning photos of the Saturday afternoon concert in the Minster.

Cheers from Northgate Rapper and Festus Derriman - let's drink to next year's festival - Make a note of the date now! It's the second full weekend of June - 14th, 15th & 16th June 2019!

More gorgeous photos from Jo Elkington Photography - this time Saturday afternoon in the Minster. Thank you, Jo!

Now you have had a couple of days to reflect, what was your favourite bit of Wimborne Minster Folk Festival 2018? Difficult, I know and I have been struggling to choose...but I was so impressed by The Fosbrooks - clog dancing and playing their violins at the same time, and I loved Pamphill School's Maypole, full of colour and fun! I could write a long list really but I want to see what everyone else enjoyed! Comment below!