Folks, it’s Rothbury time
The Traditional Music Festival is back with another packed weekend celebrating folk music in all its forms
Musicians and music lovers from across the UK and beyond will head to Northumberland next month as the Rothbury Traditional Music Festival returns for another weekend of tunes, sessions and community spirit.
Running from July 10-12, the much-loved festival will once again transform the Coquetdale town into a hub for traditional music, with concerts, competitions, workshops, informal sessions and family-friendly events spread across multiple venues.
Founded by renowned Northumbrian musician Alistair Anderson, the festival has grown since its launch into one of the region’s best-loved celebrations of folk and traditional music, drawing performers and audiences from around the world.
This year’s line-up includes acclaimed folk duo Janice Burns and Jon Doran, Irish musicians Mícheál and MacDara Ó Raghallaigh, Belgian accordionist Elke de Meester, alongside North East favourites Andy May Trio, Arthur Coates and Kerran Cotterell, Julian Sutton and festival founder Anderson himself.
Festival director Ian Stephenson said: “The festival is all about bringing world-class traditional music to the heart of Coquetdale while creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved.
“Whether you’re a lifelong folk enthusiast or completely new to traditional music, there is something for everyone.”
Among the highlights will be the Festival Concert at The Mart, a Saturday outdoor stage featuring free performances throughout the day, the acclaimed Graham Pirt presentation Crusade, workshops, music sessions and the ever-popular Festival Ceilidh.
But as anyone who has spent a weekend at Rothbury knows, some of the festival’s magic happens away from the main stages — in pubs, cafés and corners of the town where impromptu sessions spring up and carry on long into the evening.
Tickets and full programme details are available via the festival website.