Part of the joy of Sidmouth Folk Festival is the diversity and free-flowing nature of the event and not knowing what you’re going to encounter round the next corner. That was certainly the case on Saturday August 3 as I made a leisurely walkabout along The Esplanade and into town.
The first delight I came across was the Sid Vale Community Productions’ presentation of “Robin Hood”, near Port Royal. A light-hearted and boisterous take on the Sherwood Forest tales, the festival programme had warned that “historical figures may be severely mis-represented”, which explained why a female Robin Hood was being locked up in jail. Boo! Hiss!
(Image: Paul Strange)
Moving on, I found myself in the midst of a mass of green and red tatters accompanied by sticks energetically click-clacking. It was Alton Morris – a mixed border Morris side from Alton, Hampshire – in action. Staying for a while, I loved their energy and good-humoured performance.
(Image: Paul Strange)
The Bedford is always a must for high-quality free music, offering great drop-in sessions. After a quick chill here, lapping up a reel or two, I wandered outside to encounter George and Sabra, aka The Sidmouth Giants. The extraordinarily tall figures – accompanied by their musician minders – were on their way to the seafront. They made a memorable sight, especially when bewildered visitors stood alongside them.
(Image: Paul Strange) “Why’s the road being closed?” asked one of those bewildered visitors. I told her that the annual Procession of invited dance teams was about to take place. And very shortly afterwards, Wakefield Morris, Sussex Junction Morris, Kekezza, Liberty Hill and other sides danced past us on their way to the Blackmore Gardens in a memorable whirl of colour and triumphant music.
(Image: Paul Strange)
My afternoon walkabout concluded at the Kennaway Cellar Bar where I greatly enjoyed the music of Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves. Described in the programme notes as “rising stars in old-time American folk and bluegrass”, they were exactly that. Working intensely together, the North American fiddle and banjo duo kicked up a storm, especially on “Dry” and “Nancy Blevins”. I’m sure we'll hear more from them at future Sidmouth Folk Festivals.
Additional photos by Mark Eburne.
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