Isle of Wight

Isle of Wight Folk Music- July 2025 Highlights

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Mardi Gras Saturday 5th

Fri 4 Under the Tree storytelling in Northwood Park for the Biosphere Festival. Tickets

Fri 4 Care in the Garden Music and Food Social 18.00-21.00 with Second Time Around playing. Booking essential Tickets £12.95 eventbrite.com

Sat 5 Folk themed Mardi Gras ‘Our Folktastic Isle’ from 12.00 Ryde. Morris dancing 14.00 at St Thomas’s Square Ryde before procession arrives 15.20 approximately

Tue 22 Carnabys Fringe Folk Day at Carnaby’s Diner, Ventnor from 14.00 until 21.30. with Sea Gels Shanty Band, The Anywhens, Richard Hughes, Steve Love, The Crew, Second Time Around and Razorjake. Free entry but it is advisable to book a table for this event Tel 01983 629551.

Sat 26 2nd Time Around presents ‘Across the Pond’, exploring the origins and development of Appalacian music and wider American music genres. At Ventnor Arts Club for Ventnor Fringe 16.45 start Tickets £11.50 Tickets

Second Time Around

Isle of Wight Folk Music – June 2024

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Winter Wilson

Here are some of the highlights for June.

Winter Wilson are at the Medina Bookshop, Cowes, on Monday 10th at 7pm. £10. Tickets Booking essential BYOB 

Storyteller Holly Medland Lees presents ‘Middle Age Crisis’ – stories of drunken monks, wily women and ill-fated deals for 16+ on Thursday 6th. A bargain at only £5 including refreshments at Babushka Books, Shanklin. Booking essential- 07511220038/01983 652880

Enjoy a Barn Dance with The Caulkheads and caller at Camp Hill Clubs, Quarry Hill, Camphill, Newport, PO30 5ZA, 7pm on Friday 7th. Tel 01983 7722796 or chc5c.uk@outlook.com

On Sunday 16th there is a Special Guest Night at Quay Folk Club. A rising young star on the national folk scene, uilleann piper, whistle player and award winning singer Seb Stone is performing, with multi-instrumentalist Dave Godby in support. Quay Arts Centre, 7pm. Drop a donation in the Fez.

Seb Stone

Isle of Wight Folk Music- February 2024

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Some highlights

Fred’s House

Cambridge based folk rock band Fred’s House return once again to at Ventnor Arts Club on Saturday 17th at 8pm. This is a very popular band. Tickets

Quay Folk Club at Quay Arts Centre, Newport, has a debut act on Sunday 18th. Two For Joy are Lesley Tregear and Tina Goode, well known from other bands but performing as a duo for the first time. Regulars Keith Newman and Rick Otley take the second guest spot along with Martin Newnham. Floor spots are Steve French and Sally Garrett. 7pm start.

On Saturday 24th  Wild Roses (Glenn Koppany and John Dawson) play at the Star Coffee and Ale House Sausage and Cider Festival, from 7.15

Isle of Wight Folk Music – December 2023

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Apologies, no pictures today, wordpress has dropped the ‘add’ button!

December Highlights

The annual Christmas Reflections Concert in aid of Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. takes place on Saturday 9th at the Salvation Army Hall, Newport at 7pm. Performers: 2gether in Harmony, Maureen Shaw, Island Storytellers, Maturing Nicely, Sea Gels Shanty Band, Rodney Bean, Ruth Lockyer, Peter Ellis, The Watch. Always a lovely evening

 Green & Matthews  return to Quay Arts on Wednesday 13th with their Christmas  show on Wednesday 13th, A Christmas Carol, with Victorian carols, mid-winter songs and lyrics set to traditional folk and  carol tunes. Tickets.  

On Saturday 16th,  Bloodstone Border Morris dance to celebrate the solstice at Culver Down beacon,  15.45. This will be Bloodstone’s last performance. It is very sad to see the ending of this wonderful morris side, long admired for their vibrant style and showmanship.

Boxing Day has the annual morris dancing followed by a singaround at The Dairyman’s Daughter,  Arreton,  from noon. Enjoy! 

Historically minded folkies might be interested in the book launch of ‘I’m Not Blessed Well Jokin’ an oral history of Bembridge,  by Alan Phillips at Bembridge Village Hall on Saturday 9th from 10.00 to noon. The book costs £12 and is based on interviews from the 1970s with local ‘characters’ remembering stories from the 1800s onwards.

Galleybaggers Folk Club will meet at the earlier time of 7pm on December 28th. Guest spots from The Wandering Winkles, John Thorpe plus the usual come-all-ye sing around. Mince pies will be available!!

Isle of Wight Folk Music – November 2023 Highlights

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playford ball

The annual Playford Ball at East Cowes Town Hall takes place on Saturday 4th at 2pm. Many of the participants wear spectacular period costume, so it is well worth going along just to watch! Luckily, barn dance experience will get you through most of the dances, so do join in. 

 ShtumStumcrop

The amazing Salt House  are performing at Quay Arts Centre, Newport. Not to be missed  Details & tickets  Then, just a week later, on Saturday 18th, the popular Boo Hewerdine & Heidi Talbot can be heard at the same venue.  Details & tickets The very next day, Sunday 19th, Quay Folk Club hosts popular locals Shtum and Slainte Va, along with a little Bob Dylan.

This year’s Medina Tattoo at the Medina Theatre (where else), sees return visits by The Crew and Wight Hot Pipes.

Salt HouseSalt House

Isle of Wight Folk Music – October 2023

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NOTE: THIS PAGE JUST HIGHLIGHTS A COUPLE OF MEMORABLE EVENTS. TO SEE FULL LISTS OF WHAT’S ON, RETURN TO MENU & CLICK ON EVENTS (OR ON CLUBS/SESSIONS/FOLK NIGHTS FOR REGULAR EVENTS).

Don’t miss the one-off events listed on the folkonwight Events page this October, plus the many clubs, folk nights and playalong sessions, of course.

October Highlights

Foodbank oct23

 

Friday 6th sees another Foodbank fundraiser at Quay Arts Centre, Newport. This annual event is always a heart warming evening. This year, enjoy performances by 2ndTA , The Rug Band and more. Sadly, there is a clash, as  Wildwood Jack return once again to Ventnor Arts Club on that self same evening with their popular contemporary folk with guitar. See link on Events page.

 

Folk @ Firkin oct 23

Devon folk singer Jim Causley has been booked by Goddard’s Brewery for their Firkin Folk Afternoon in aid of Mountbatten on Sunday 22nd. Should be an excellent afternoon as The Watch are also performing.

Isle of Wight Folk Music – September 2023

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NOTE: THIS PAGE IS JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS. TO SEE FULL LISTS OF WHAT’S ON, RETURN TO MENU & CLICK ON EVENTS (OR ON CLUBS/SESSIONS/FOLK NIGHTS FOR REGULAR EVENTS).

At the time of writing, there are 15 one-off events listed on the folkonwight Events page, plus the usual clubs, folk nights and playalong sessions, of course.

Highlights

On Sunday 24th September,  Ben & Dom, a folk duo and folk choir leaders from London, are running a harmony workshop at 2pm, followed by a concert at 5pm. All this takes place at the Freshwater Memorial Hall,   PO40 9UU. There is a link for tickets on the Events page.  Looks fun, but is that Ben or Dom?

Ben Dom

Fingerpicking guitarist Jon Wilks is visiting Quay Arts Centre,  Newport on Friday 29th. Jon specialises in traditional songs and ballads. A link for tickets is on the Events page.

Jon Wilks

Sun 17  Quay Folk Club at Quay Arts Centre, Newport, 19.00. Guests: The Mistakings trio and Wild Roses, also spots from Tina Goode and Phil Washington 

June 2023 – Isle of Wight Folk Music

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Some June Highlights

The Isle of Wight has a new festival, the Somewhen Storytelling Festival. This is taking at at Havenstreet Steam Railway. There will be stories for children and adults, including also Barn dance Saturday,  Music from Art & Rick and 2nd Time Around. Weekend tickets £30, Day tickets £20,  barn dance only £10 from http://somewhen.org.uk or on the day.

Quay Folk Club at Quay Arts Centre, Newport, has a special guest night on Sunday 25th. The guest is Miranda Sykes, with support from Shtum. This is not a night to miss! Music starts at 7pm as usual, in the upstairs theatre.

There is a concert with Mick Sands and his band at the Mountbatten Centre, Newport, this Thursday, 1st June.

Yarmouth Sea Song and Shanty Festival 2023

Visiting bands – Spinnaker Shanty, Solent Shanty Buoys, Drywood, Short Drag Roger (at their spot in the Wheatsheaf garden)

Spinnaker s23

solent buoys23Drywood 23

Short drag23

Some of our very own – The Rug Band, Lesley Tregear, Shtum, The Watch

Rug 23Lesley 23Stum 23Watch 23

Isle of Wight Folk Music – May 2023

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Early Rising

On May Day morning, the Men of Wight dance at the Longstones to welcome the magical dawn. It is well worth getting up at silly o’clock and tramping along by torchlight to be part of the gathering up on the hilltop in the atmospheric half-light. When dances have been danced and songs have been sung, there is a haze of scented bluebells to enchant the walk back down.

Men of W may 22

Bob’s Basement Band goes International!

On Friday May 5th and Monday 15th, Bob’s Basement Band are offering a set of Polish tunes at the Painters Arms, Cowes, followed by an Irish playalong session.

Wolverton rocks

Wolverton Folk and Blues Fair is on Saturday 13th May this year. What a wonderful event this is! Tickets, only £10 in advance, are available now from Waterstones, Briddlesford Farm Shop, Brighstone Village Shop and Orchard Bros., Freshwater Bay.

DCIM101MEDIA

One More Day, me hearties

The Yarmouth Sea Songs and Shanties Festival runs from Friday 26th to Monday 29th this year, giving us an extra day of amazing music. And it is still donations only!

Yarm shanty 23

Isle of Wight Folk Music – February 2023

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Long-awaited Album Launch

The amazing Second Time Around (2ndTA) are to launch their new CD ‘House of Cards’ at Quay Folk Club on February 19th. Expect an evening of superb musicianship and vocals to die for! The band will be playing the songs featured on the new album plus a selection of their old favourites. Hot-off-the-press copies of the CD will be available to buy together with some attractive merchandise. The designs (see photo) are by Tina Goode of Inkstone Arts.

2ta album

I was sent an advert on Facebook recently for a ‘Second Time Around Sale’! Algorithms rule OK?

Stories with Unforseen Consequences

Storyteller Monty is brightening up the very start of February with a couple of solo events on the 1st of February in Ventnor and on the 2nd in Shanklin. This is a new venture for Monty, both are bookable, details on the Events page. It is always very difficult to take photos of Monty as his delivery is so lively he moves faster than the camera can cope with. The pic. below is the best of a very blurred bunch.

Wold w Monty

The first Wold Zong (=Isle of Wight dialect for Old Song) Singaround at the Bugle, Brading in January was very well supported. Even performers who usually sing modern songs made the effort to dig out something traditional. Wold Zong may well be the only singaround in the country which is run by a bear. The next session is on Sunday February 26th at 7pm.

squawk