On Thursday 23rd July between 6-8pm we will be holding an outdoor Folk Club session at Lea Bailey Light Railway on the edge of the Forest of Dean just 3 miles from Mitcheldean. The Lea Bailey Light Railway Society has preserved a section of narrow gauge mining railway along with locomotives and wagons on the site of a former gold and iron mine, which itself occupies the trackbed of the former Mitcheldean Road & Forest of Dean Junction Railway.
Limited seating will be available on a selection of wagons parked on the track but you may wish to bring your own folding chairs or a picnic blanket. Please note that there are no indoor toilet facilities available but there are plenty of secluded locations screened by bushes should you wish to answer a call of nature!
Optional themes for songs and poetry include mining, industry, railways, and the Forest of Dean.
The 2019 Mitcheldean Festival is almost here so it’s time to plan your weekend around all the wonderful events that we have planned for you. Our advance programme is designed to be printed double-sided on A4 paper and folded into an A5 booklet. It can also be viewed on-screen using your PC or compatible device so please consider the environment and only print if you need to.
Our full Souvenir Programme will be available to purchase from selected outlets during the Festival with all proceeds going towards funding future events.
The Administrator is in the process of updating this website for the 2019 event. Part of this update included the deletion of our old, obsolete website. Unfortunately all of the updates for 2018 were inadvertantly added to the old database which has been deleted. Posts from 2017 and earlier are not affected.
Andy Scarf and Bill Taylor at the Brewery Tap in 2016
The Mitcheldean Fete & Folk Festival 2017 has started with its usual Friday night entertainment at the Brewery Tap, but this year has seen a new twist with a Beer Festival (the biggest ever in the Forest of Dean according to the organisers) taking place at the Brewery’s HQ in the MEWs. The large festival marquee played host to an Open Mic stage with an acoustic session taking place inside the Brewery Tap which has been transformed into a Cider House for the duration of the Festival.
Morris Dancing in Mitcheldean
Mice in a Matchbox – Jim Rolt & Sally Stamford
The Folk Walk crossing a field
Saturday’s events include the traditional Fete which is getting bigger every year, as well as the showcase concert in the Church and live music in the Beer Festival Marquee. Get the full line-up by downloading a copy of this year’s programme.
Join us on Sunday for the traditional Folk Walk combining a countryside walk with several pubs and some great traditional songs.
As of 10th March 2017 Applications are now closed.
Mitcheldean Folk Festival Concerts are entry-free and will showcase local and visiting acts and provide opportunities to perform and promote music (all types), songs, and dances. As part of the 2017 festival there will be two showcase musical concerts:
Concert 1: Saturday 3rd June from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at The Brewery Tap
Concert 2: Saturday 15th July from 1:00pm to 9:00pm at Mitcheldean Church
Note that while we are unable to pay performers we hope to record all performances where possible and will make the recording of your performance available to you after the event.
A P.A. system will be provided and acts will be allocated slots of 30 minutes each. To ensure we run to time please factor in set up time and plan your set accordingly. (Note: That applicants cannot be guaranteed a specific slot in the programme but we will try to accommodate your requirements as far as possible.)
If you are interested in taking part in one or both of these concerts please supply the information requested below by e-mail to concerts@mitcheldeanfestival.fod.uk no later than Thursday 16th February.
The name of your act
A short description of what the act does (style of music or dance)
Your name and contact details
The number of performers in your act
The instruments (if any) that they play
Which concert(s) you would like to perform at
Whether you have any preference on the time of your performance (earlier or later)
Your amplification requirements (number of mics and DIs)
Any other specific requirements you may have
We will contact you in March to confirm the details of your performance.
There will also opportunities for busking at designated locations in and around Mitcheldean from 11:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday 15th July and you are welcome to come and busk whether your application to perform at the concert is successful or not.
The advance programme has been published for the Mitcheldean Fete and Folk Festival 2016, listing the various events taking place throughout the weekend, and the acts that will be performing at the Showcase Concert on Saturday 16th July.
It is formatted to be printed on A4 paper and folded in half to create an A5 booklet. The file is in .pdf format. If you do not already have a program on your computer which will open this file type, please see the Software Downloads section below.
Eden Tanner, Andy Scarf and Bill Taylor, singing a song before departing on the Folk Walk.
The last part of this year’s Folk Festival was the Folk Walk. Starting with breakfast in the White Horse, the group set off for the first short leg to the Lamb Inn. The theme for songs here was animals and we were joined by two dogs and a puppy in the beer garden, two of the dogs and their owners continuing on the full walk.
Lunch was at the Yew Tree, Longhope with some enjoying a Sunday roast from the carvery and others taking the lighter option of sandwiches. Faith and the Forest was the theme here, with the Yew Tree being a common sight in churchyards.
Eric, the smaller dog had to be carried through this field of oil-seed rape.
At the Box Bush end of Longhope the bar in the Nag’s Head was already home to some live music by two locals on electric guitar and vocals so the party retired to the new decking in the rear garden and found a cosy space around the sides of a bouncy castle, with songs on the theme of horses.
After a short walk to the Farmer’s Boy Inn , which featured a second bouncy castle, the group took shelter from the sun under some large table umbrellas (or parasols?) and enjoyed songs on the theme of farming before a traditional group photograph in front of the horse mural on the side of the pub. Many also took advantage of the ice cream bar before departing.
Participants in the Folk Walk passing through a field of barley between Longhope and Mitcheldean.
The return to Mitcheldean passed through fields of barley and herds of cattle. Wild camomile was growing at the edge of one field, and the cherry trees along Bradley Court Road provided a welcome snack for those who could reach! Relaxing albeit briefly back at the White Horse, it was soon time for our American visitors from Renegade Rose Morris to retire to their lodgings at the Oakraven Centre, with many of the survivors joining them for a chilled out evening of good food, good company and music.
A big thank you to everyone who walked, sang, played, danced, watched, listened, and to all our helpers both front of house and behind the scenes. See you next year!
The Mitcheldean Folk Festival 2015 has begun. The Friday night regulars at the Brewery Tap are being entertained by (and in some cases joining in with) a mixed bag of musicians from near and far. Some have come from across the Atlantic Ocean whilst others have come from just across the road.
Come and join us this weekend for what promises to be a great event!
