Amazingly warm and dry weather and the best in contemporary roots music greeted fans as they flocked to the Stuntney Estate last weekend for the 38th Ely Folk Festival. Three stages hosted a dazzling array of artists from world-renowned headliners to the brightest rising stars. Together with the full programme of extra activities including workshops, sound baths, yoga and sessions it made for a hugely enjoyable event.
Ticket sales for the festival were well up on 2023 and by early evening on Friday the site was packed with tents, camper vans, caravans and attendees eager to enjoy everything on offer.
There was a lot of dancing on the opening night. After a fine set on the Peregrine stage from festival band competition winners The Thomas Bradley Project, local favourites The Barefoot Doctors and Scottish award-winning folk stars Breabach got everyone up on their feet before the evening’s proceedings finished in the Kingfisher stage with a hugely popular ceilidh from Frog On A Bike that ran into the early hours. Quieter moments were provided in the Nightingale tent where an open stage night was held and on the Kingfisher stage with the local act showcases, where folk duo The Larks, laidback Americana from The Lost Hobos and powerful sets from Faradena Afifi and Rome kept the crowd happy.
On Saturday the quieter vibe continued in the Nightingale stage with workshops on bodhran and whistle playing and stepdance, a guitar workshop from festival patron Brooks Williams and the famous Ely Nightingale Competition where the prize is to open the main Peregrine stage on Sunday. This year’s winner was EllY Tree, who wowed the Sunday crowd with a brilliant set of original material.
Saturday also featured the inaugural Ely Folk Festival Dog Bingo competition, where entrants had to find ten dogs wearing the special festival bandana (see above) and find out their names. The winner was Ellie Hankinson who won a £25 voucher as her prize.
In the afternoon folk legend John Kirkpatrick, now well into his fifth decade of performing, showed that he hadn’t lost a step, rising folk stars Christine Alden & Alex Patterson and The Shackleton Trio (who had also played as Kitewing the previous night) offered rich harmonies, powerful songs and exemplary playing before things hotted up with the multi-award-winning Morganway and their Fleetwood Mac-esque music and Peatbog Faeries high energy Celtic fusion getting everyone dancing yet again and bringing down the curtain on an outstanding day.
Festival headliner Eddi Reader took to the Peregrine stage as the sun began to set and delighted the crowd with a set of hits that included Fairground Attraction’s ‘Perfect’ and numerous others. Last but by no means least high energy young Welsh folk-rockers Rusty Shackle ended the festival on a high with the whole audience up on their feet.
Away from the stages attendees took full advantage of the beautiful Stuntney Estate, enjoying the nature walks around the festival site and also checking out the shopping opportunities in Ben’s Yard.
Fionnuala Lennon, the festival’s Marketing Director, said “This was undoubtedly a vintage year for the festival, and we are delighted that so many people came and enjoyed themselves. We’re already planning for next year’s event which we’re determined to make even better!”