What an amazing month December is. Christmas concerts galore, Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival with added folk music, a brand new mumming troupe and Midwinter Revels at Quay Arts. Add a visit by Steeleye Span to make this a month to remember.

Full details of all these events can be found on the Events page.

Enjoy November. Here are some highlights. More events can be found on the Events page.

Sat 1 Samhain at the Star Coffee and Ale House Ryde.with The Anywhens and Eye of the Dawn dancers. 19.00 Booking essential £22.38 http://eventbrite.co.uk

Sun 2 Songwriter Charlie Dore and Julian Litman at the Apollo Theatre Newport in aid of Age UK 19.30 booking.apollo-theatre.org.uk

Sat 8 Playford Ball at East Cowes Town Hall with live music. 14.00-16.00. £8 pay on the door includes tea/coffee/squash. Playford dances are rather more sedate than normal barn dances, and a bit more complicated, so some folk dance experience is useful. All dances will be taught and walked through. Dressing up in period costumes, folk dance costumes or posh modern clothing is encouraged, but not necessary.

Sat 15 and Sun 16 Donal O’Riain plays traditional Irish Gypsy and Eastern European music at Monkton Arts Ryde with JC on guitar. 19.00 £15 Booking essential. http://www.monktonarts.co.uk

Sun 16 Quay Folk Club at Quay Arts Newport. Guests: Hunter Muskett and support Gilkicker Weevils. 19.00 start. Free entry. Donations

These are are few highlights for September. Go to the Events page for more details.

Sat 6 JC and Angelina Fun Band at Goddard’s Brewery 20.00

Sat 13 Didgeridoo Dreaming with Joe Caudwell at the New Rembrandt Gallery, Newport. Relaxing music based around the evocative and therapeutic didgeridoo.

Sun 14 Second Time Around at the Hideaway Shanklin 15.00-17.00

Thur 18 Singer-songwriter Katie Spencer at Medina Bookshop Cowes 19.00. Booking essential http://medinabookshop.com

Sat 20 Sea Gels Shanty Band at The Porter Club Lake 19.00

Fri 26 – Sat 27 Steampunk Festival Ryde events at Fubar Union St. RazorJake Fri 19.00 Saturday Stories for kids with Holly Medland 14.00 Stories for adults with Sue Bailey 15.00

Some August highlights. See the Events page for much, much more and the Clubs page for regular events.

Sun 10 Second Time Around play at the Blenhiem Ventnor 18.00-20.00

Fri 15 Special night to mark 80th anniversary of VJ Day at Ventnor Folk Club. Venue is Ventnor British Legion. 19.00 start.

Wed 13 to Sat 16 is Ventnor Pirate Festival. On Thursday 14 – East Cowes Shanty play at The Spyglass at 13.00 and on Saturday 16 Ventnor Comic Jazz Band will be roaming around and Sea Gels Shanty Band and The Watch duo are at The Spyglass from 16.00-18.00. There are activities and buskers along the esplanade on other days, too.

A brand new folk festival with a ‘tavern atmosphere’.

Sun 15 Quay Folk Club at Quay Arts Centre Newport. 19.00 Shalfleet Shanty Singers John Ralph from Australia Second Time Around

See Events section for more.

Thur 1 Sunrise- approximately 4.30 at the Longstone with Men of Wight

Sun 4 RUG Band (ukuleles) at the Ryde Bus Museum 14.00-16.00

April Highlights

Thur 3 Brighstone Barnacles and East Cowes Shanty at John Cheverton Centre Newport 19.00 Ticketed Event https://www.mountbatten.org.uk/Event/seashanty

Fri 4 Lindesfarne at the Medina Theatre Newport at 19.30. Tickets £33.50/£31.50 http://medinatheatre.co.uk

Sat 5 When I Paint My Masterpiece- journey into the genius of Bob Dylan with Hugh Wright Dick Taylor Art and Rick and friends at Quay Arts Centre Newport. Opens 18.00 performance starts 19.30

Fri 11 Music and conversation with Ian A Anderson at Medina Bookshop. £12.50. Booking essential http://medinabookshop.com

Wed 23 St George’s Day bash with The Crew at the Star Coffee and Ale House Ryde 19.00

Sat 26 One Night in Dublin at Shanklin Theatre 19.30. £ 26.50 http://shanklintheatre.com