Folk at the Boat is back again, with loads of local acts for you to enjoy.

Once again, we will be kicking off the day with the Steamboat All-Stars, playing tunes and singing shanties both familiar and unfamiliar. If you want to be part of this esteemed band, please let us know and we can send you the necessary dots. There will be no “set list” but a menu of tune sets and shanties from which we will make our selection on the day.

John Towler will be performing his first-ever booked set, and EllY Tree will have a new album out, which we are sure you will want to purchase. Headlining for a second year, “Fanny” Adams is back to bring the house down again.

No charge to come in, we’re free at the point of delivery, like the NHS — and just as good for your health!

In a break from tradition, Folk at the Boat 2025 is starting with

STEPS, STRINGS AND SHANTIES (plus a melodeon)

At 12.30 pm on the day, we will be opening our day-long feast of hot local music in the folk, folk-rock and singer-songwriter genres.

In previous years, we’ve enjoyed watching local morris sides performing. But this year is 2025, when we move into our third decade of dance and music-making.

Since 2005, we have featured bands as diverse as Little Johnny England and Celandine! And this year we are headlining with our very own John (Fanny) Adams. So, to start the day we will be playing a medley of tunes for YOU to dance to! In between, the Steamboat All-Stars will also lead shanties and, again, YOU will be able to join in!

And, where are the steps? Well, during our breaks, our lovely friends from Hara Bellydance will be performing two beautiful sets as well. Don’t say we don’t spoil you!

We hope you are all looking forward to 14th June 2025, and that you have cleared your diaries for Folk at the Boat.

We’re back again!

Come and join us on Saturday 14 June 2025 for a great day of music, story-telling, dancing and an excellent selection of real ales and ciders (and we’ll do our best with the weather as well).

We are delighted to welcome local legend John (Fanny) Adams – One Man and A Guitar as our headliner this year, together with a wide range of fantastic local artists. The full line-up and running order is:

12.30-2 Morris dancing
2-2.30 East Coast Collective and Chordwrangle Quartet
2.45-3.30 Lynne Morley
3.45-4.30 EllY Tree
4.45-5.30 Bill Pipe
5.45-6.30 Bold and Saucy Wrongs
6.45-7.45 Mc2
8.00-9.30 John (Fanny) Adams – One Man and A Guitar
with Robin Herne on continuity

Entrance is free but we will be rattling buckets at regular intervals! All donations towards the meeting the event costs will be very welcome.

We’re sorry to tell you that Skedaddle have had to drop out this year – we’ve had a message from Simon which says ..

Hello. Simon from Skedaddle here. I’m afraid we’ll need to pull out of Folk at the Boat. One of our musicians is unavailable and our fiddle player has injured her hand quite badly and has been advised it may take two months before she can play again. We are so sorry for this as we were really looking forward to it. Please accept our sincere apologies. I will be coming down as a punter so will see you on the day.

We’re really going to miss them and we send them all our best wishes. It won’t surprise you to know that they have already been invited back for next year.

Now … in the spirit of this being the 20th anniversary Folk at the Boat, we looked back into the archives to find a replacement.

Oh … that’ll be us, then. This was Triangle on our first appearance, way back in 2005.

Doors open 12.00 noon

Morris Dancing from 12.30

Yes, it really is!

June isn’t really that far away, and, before your diaries fill up, why not make a note of 15th June and make sure that you can get to the Steamboat for what, we are sure, will be a full day of great music and dance.

In a last-minute change to the advertised programme, we are very sad to say that Mc2 have had to drop out owing to illness. We wish Paul all the very best for a speedy recovery. Local duo Saltshaker, aka our wonderful sound man Adrian and his bandmate Andy, have kindly agreed to step in at short notice and we look forward to welcoming them.

Here it is – the elegantly hand-crafted running order for Folk at the Boat 2023

If you were with us last June, you will have been spellbound by the tale-telling skills of Justine de Mierre. The good news is that she’s back again next year!

But the really exciting news is that we have this gentleman …

If you haven’t encountered him before, this is Lil Jim, and I can do no better than quote from his website:

“Lil Jim is an award winning, multi instrumentalist. Dynamic and irrepressible. Seamlessly tying the roots of traditional music with modern arrangements and hooks. Combining guitar, harmonica and accordion with vocals and foot percussion to create a fresh sound of unstoppable rhythm and unrelenting melody.

From supporting Hayseed Dixie, Paul Jones and Midge Ure, with standout shows at Leek Blues and Americana Festival and Acoustic Festival of Britain, Lil Jim is fast becoming the must-see act on the festival and touring circuit.”

The one thing he isn’t, is “Lil” …