Get ready to dance the night away with the unmistakable energy of John Brown, one of the most dynamic ceilidh callers on the folk scene today. With a voice that cuts through the liveliest fiddle tunes and a knack for getting even the most reluctant dancers on their feet, John brings infectious joy and clarity to every set. Whether you’re a seasoned ceilidh-goer or stepping into the dance for the first time, John’s warm wit, inclusive style, and spot-on timing guarantee an unforgettable experience. Grab a partner—or find one on the dance floor—and let John lead you through reels, jigs, and joyous mayhem!

Phil Tyler, having for many years been part of successful duos with Cath Tyler and Sarah Hill, now occasionally ventures out alone, plying his trade with clawhammer banjo or steel strung guitar, enacting songs and tunes that follow the threads between rural Britain and the mountains of Appalachia.

Following a chance meeting in 1993, Chris Sherburn (concertina) and Denny Bartley (vocals, guitar) forged a lasting folk partnership, touring extensively across Europe and America. In 2016, they joined forces with Emily Sanders (fiddle/viola, vocals), adding vocal harmonies, strings, and a fresh dimension to their Celtic-rooted sound. Emily, a founding member of Isambarde, has also performed with Simon Fowler’s (Ocean Colour Scene) Merrymouth and with Pete Morton, and Chris Parkinson. Together, the trio blends soul-stirring songs, exhilarating tunes, and infectious on-stage banter, creating performances filled with warmth, laughter, and top-tier musicianship. Whether on a festival stage or in an intimate venue, Sherburn, Bartley & Sanders captivate audiences with their chemistry and charm. “Superb musicians of the highest order.” – Alan Wood “A joy to watch… this is what music is meant to be.” – Ant Miles

Catch them live – no two shows are ever the same!

Macdara Yeates (‘Dara’ for short) is a traditional folk singer from Dublin, Ireland.

Described by the Irish Music Magazine as “a deep and powerful performer”, Macdara is known for his booming baritone renditions of Irish folk songs, ranging from traditional ‘big’ songs, songs of Dublin dock workers, and lesser-known ballads from his native inner-city Dublin.

Born and raised in the Irish capital, Macdara is one of a crop of singers associated with the recent resurgence of young singing talent in the city along with acts such as Lankum, Landless and Ye Vagabonds. Macdara has toured and performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and North America with acclaimed folk ensemble Skipper’s Alley, as well as at singing festivals such as Whitby Folk Week (ENG), The Frank Harte Festival (IRE) and FifeSing (SCO) and more. Macdara is also a founding member of The Night Before Larry Got Stretched, a monthly gathering and song collective dedicated to the dissemination of traditional singing among young people.

Macdara’s recent work includes: My Father’s Kind, a collaboration of traditional Irish music and poetry with poet and novelist Dermot Bolger; Sing a Song of Docklands, a songwriting and community outreach project celebrating the work of Dublin’s dock workers; and The Megaphone Project, a pop-up performance series arming folk singers with a soapbox and megaphone to reintroduce the lost art of street singing back into the modern cityscape.

In 2021, Macdara was awarded a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris.

Katie Howson is best known as a driving force in a number of significant English ceilidh bands, playing melodeon and harmonica in the Old Hat Dance Band and PolkaWorks. She spent her formative years playing alongside traditional musicians such as Oscar Woods and Reg Reader from Suffolk – in too many pubs to mention! For seventeen years she was Artistic Director of the East Anglian Traditional Music trust, creating, managing and presenting a variety of projects and events. Since retiring from that role eight years ago, she has played a wider variety of music both solo and in occasional partnerships, most regularly with Roger Digby, with whom she shares a love of old recordings of both English and Irish music. Katie is also a respected researcher, writer and speaker and will be giving a presentation about the history of percussive dancing dolls, The Brightest of Entertainers.

Mollie plays fiddle and Ali plays accordion and piano. They play for English and Contra. You can dance to the stories they tell with the music they play!

Ken lives in Teesside, North–East England and started singing in the early seventies. Finding his own voice and repertoire of songs with a preference to the tradition, he names the likes of Fred Jordan, the Copper family and The Watersons as some of his main influences at that time, but the singing of one Tony Rose, having the greatest impression on him. He shares his love of ‘Folk Songs’ with his other siblings, The Wilson Family who he sang with since the 1970’s until recently in 2020!

Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, we perform a unique style of dance from the East Riding of Yorkshire. Wearing tatters and veils, they dance with waved flags and rattled bones. Dances are written by the team, derived from original notation.

Ian Giles & Dave Townsend – Voices, Concertina and Melodeon – have been singing and playing together for more years than either will readily admit to. They are two of the most recognizable (and hairy) faces on the Oxfordshire folk scene, who bring to the stage a wealth of experience performing, touring and researching traditional songs & music. With voices and squeezeboxes, they offer a delightful repertoire of unusual songs and tunes, many with a maritime flavour and opportunities to join in. Their comfortable and relaxed style of presentation makes the perfect setting for their commitment to the material and their consummate musicianship.

This duo specialises in lively Irish music and songs, with enjoyment in mind. Both with strong Whitby connections, they have taken their music around the world many times!

Alistair Russell (guitar, vocals) is from North-East England of Scottish parentage. Over 50 years playing Scottish and Irish music and his own songs, including with Scotland’s legendary Battlefield Band. With 18 album and video/DVD releases, his career includes performance, live sound, recording, and management. His humorous autobiography recently sold very well indeed.

Chris Parkinson (melodeon, piano accordion, harmonica) comes from Lancashire, of Irish extraction. A session player on countless albums, as well as 2 solo and 8 CD releases with The House Band, and several tuition DVDs. Currently dividing his time between his duo with Alistair, and studio and live performances with all and sundry!

Patrick Rose is a Sheffield based caller, guitarist and singer. He has been calling for over 10 years for all levels of dance ability, be that private events or ceilidh series. He is well known on the Sheffield scene for an enthusiastic yet relaxed style of calling, focusing on bringing the sheer joy of the dance to the audience with his irreverent approach. Currently, his main ceilidh project is guitarist and vocalist for the ceilidh band Bellamira, taking klzemer, appalachian, morris and eurobal influences and forging them together with punk, EDM, ska and fusion.

Out Of Hand are one of the most danceable energetic bands on the folk scene at the moment, known for their folk-rock style and high energy vibe. The 5 piece band put modern twists on traditional tunes along with exciting new tunes, bringing a thumping danceable rhythm to keep you on the dance floor all night long. This year they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary!

Martyn is recognised as a first rate national caller with too many festival appearances to list. He brings clear calling and an obvious enthusiasm for ceilidhs, plus a massive repertoire of dances. This is coupled with a rapport with bands that helps ensure many a lively night. His most fervent wish is that the dancers simply have the most brilliant time.

Experience the Power of Banter: A New Era of English Folk Music Formed from a shared passion for traditional English music, Banter has revolutionized the genre since 2015, blending time-honoured melodies with a bold, contemporary twist. Renowned for their explosive live energy and praised as “the world’s smallest big band,” Banter has captivated audiences at top festivals like Glastonbury, Sidmouth, and Rudolstadt. With four critically acclaimed albums, regular airplay on BBC Radio 2 and beyond, and endorsements from folk legends, Banter’s latest release, HEROES, cements their status as trailblazers in English folk. This is more than music—it’s a movement. Catch Banter live and feel the tradition redefined.

Lynne has been dancing most of her life and calling for 30 years. She is based in Loughborough but calls for dances, ceilidhs and workshops at clubs and festivals throughout the country. Her particular interest is American, but she calls both American and English styles and is always on the lookout for good dances. She firmly believes that a clear explanation will enable less-experienced dancers to join in. During Covid she began writing dances for people dancing at Zoom events. Although this is no substitute for live dancing, they were well-received and hopefully gave people enjoyment at the time. Lynne enjoys dancing herself and still loves to watch Appalachian clogging although no longer joining in!

Yorkshire stonemason and dry stone waller Will Noble learnt his first song whilst on the family farm as a boy. He later attended shepherds’ meets, after-hunt sings and traditional local pub carol sessions. His music which is drawn from the Pennine area of SW Yorkshire has taken him around the UK and North America. Over 40 years of performance, Will added many fine songs from elsewhere to his repertoire and is acknowledged as a true representative of the English singing tradition. He is joined by Pippa, whose singing reflects her native County Durham as well as France, Ireland and further afield. Sometimes accompanied, sometimes contemporary and very occasional singer songwriter, she provides the nomadic counterpoint to Will’s grounded Yorkshire heritage.

Award winning professional musician, singer, and dancer, Mossy Christian specialises in the musical traditions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Drawing on a rich and diverse repertoire of traditional dance tunes and folk songs, charting the lives of everyday people, in their work and recreation, from the 1700s to the present day. Delighting audiences across the UK, with performances at festivals and folk clubs from Whitby to Sidmouth, Morpeth to Nottingham, his shows are a treat not to be missed.

Martyn Wyndham-Read has been involved with folk music for over 60 years. In his late teens he left his mother’s farm in Sussex, England and headed off, with his guitar, to Australia where he worked on a sheep and cattle station, Emu Springs, in South Australia. It was while he was there that he first heard the old songs sung by some of the station hands and became captivated by the character and atmosphere of these songs and the need to know more of them and where they came from. He worked with Bert Lloyd who had also spent time in Australia, he recorded with Topic, Argo, Bill Leader and later with Fellside Recordings. The joy of discovering new songs as well as the old has not diminished as the love of folk music is in his blood.