The 16th Moniaive Folk Festival kicks off on Thursday, 4 May with another eclectic programme of top quality music, workshops and children’s events plus sessions taking place across the village throughout the whole weekend.
Young spell-binding fiddler Ryan Young will give a concert with Galloway-born Jenn Butterworth on Thursday evening at the Coach House, Craigdarroch Arms Hotel, at 8pm.
Friday will be an energetic day, with a guided Walk round Moniaive with Nithsdale Walking Works (Moniaive Group). Meet by the cherry tree opposite Watson`s Grocers. In the evening, from 7.30pm onwards, the Moniaive Village Ceilidh Band will invite all to dance in the marquee tent. There will be spots from festival guests as well as an open stage event at the Craigdarroch.
A packed Saturday will see workshops, piping competitions and music performances throughout the village.
Piping Competitions begin at 10am in the Glencairn Memorial Institute with a judges’ recital around 4.15pm.
Workshops take place in the Masonic Hall as follows: 10.30am to 11.30am: Harmony singing with Kate Howard; 11.45am to 12.30pm: Irish dancing with Grainne Brady; 1pm to 2pm: Artie`s Tartan Tales (family concert); 2.30pm to 3.30pm: improvisation with Radim Zenkl; and from 4pm to 6pm: free singing session with Ewan McVicar.
There will also be a number of workshops taking place in St Ninian’s Church: fiddle with Tina Jordan, 1pm to 2pm; singing with Claire Hastings, 2.15pm to 3pm; and a harp workshop from 3.15pm to 4.15pm.
Moniaive is always a family friendly event and this year the festival adds to the usual rich programme of circus skills, upcycling craft workshop, parade-making workshops and a puppet show with silly songs from two of the best children`s entertainers in Scotland – Ewan McVicar and Artie Trezise.There will also be a festival procession around the village from 4pm.
In the evening, while sessions in both the pubs are reaching fever pitch, the crowd at the main concert will be treated to top class song from Claire Hastings and the Top Floor Taivers; out of this world mandolin (and almost every other instrument) playing from Radim Zenkl; and sheer magical exhuberance from The Langan Band. For those who still have some energy left, there will be relaxed acoustic music, song and story at Moniaive Institute’s Festival Unplugged and a Late Night Extra at the Coach House with Trongate Rum Riot from 10.30pm.
A relaxed Sunday sees mellow workshops, singarounds, storytelling, puppet shows, an afternoon tea dance with cake, ballroom instruction and on-hand butler, a festival buffet at the Craigdarroch Arms and a Survivors Session by Langan Band at 7.30pm.
For tickets and further information click HERE
