St Alban’s Folk Festival

40^th St Albans has a fantastic line-up

by Anthony Woolcott

TN155 Apr 23

Historic St Albans village is the perfect setting for the St Albans Folk Festival.

Our 40th Festival will take place from Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23, the last weekend of the school holidays and just before Anzac Day.

Often referred to as the “Hidden Valley”, it is a place you can come to and enjoy a myriad of Folk traditions from around the world, a real sense of community and take in the ambience of the beautiful surroundings.

The festival showcases local, interstate and international performers, songwriters, poets, dancers, actors and musicians.

In its traditional sense, it is music and performance that connects families and communities through storytelling that is rich in history and culture, and is passed on from one generation to the next.

St Albans Folk Festival has this in abundance.

The village comes alive during the festival with a diverse range of traditional and modern sounds, as musicians take part in impromptu street performances, campfire secessions and main stage performances in a convivial and relaxed style.

While festival folk saunter through the village, the landscape becomes a kaleidoscope of colour, with Morris Dancers, Middle Eastern Dance & Drumming and even Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream.

The main stage areas are abuzz, as exceptional international and local performers shine.

Over the weekend, the village becomes home to many artists, performers and happy campers.

Folk wander from the campground, through the surrounding quiet streets to the main stage areas including the quaint historic stone church, the School of Arts Hall, the Pickled Wombat, the historic Settler’s Arms Inn (1876), the main Marquee and to the workshops conducted in dance, singing, learning or tuning instruments, storytelling and poetry.

For the first time there will be a large, dedicated blackboard stage in front of the Bush Fire Brigade, where anyone can put their name down to perform.

The festival runs fun children’s activities and has food stalls, craft and clothes stalls too.

At the heart of the festival is the “Welcome to Country” ceremony on the River Sands.

This is not only a mark of respect but also an opportunity to acknowledge the past and continuing connection that local First Nations People have with the land.

We meet on the land of the Darkinjung mob.

We are here as a result of our ancestors and to be given the opportunity to celebrate this link with those who have “gone before us” is a powerful and empowering experience.

In April, the St Albans Folk Festival will showcase remarkable international and local folk performers once again.

The exciting line-up will feature We Mavericks and Enda Kenny amongst a collection of great performers, who will have the audience on the edge of their seats and up on their feet.

This year’s performer list is too large to include here but if you go to our website you’ll be pleased at the quality of the line-up that we have for you this year.

St Albans Folk Festival captures a historic, traditional and modern storytelling scene in a cheerful yet, peaceful and heartfelt way.

With an intimate atmosphere, this is one easy and enjoyable family friendly festival where you can join in or sit back and relax and embrace the folk festivities at their best.

PS: Please note you will need to bring all your own drinking water and dogs are not permitted at the festival.

The St Albans Folk Festival is proudly sponsored by Hawkesbury Council and Tony Simpson.

See the St Albans Folk Festival website for bookings and further details.

www.stalbansfolkfestival.com.au.