Middlewich Folk & Boat 2024 - Festival Guide

NOT JUST ANOTHER FOLK FESTIVAL It was gratifying to see how eager the people of Middlewich were to welcome back their very own Folk & Boat Festival in 2023, and to embrace it once more as the community festival it was always intended to be.

That name is important, to the organisers of the Festival and to the town.

Under Town Council stewardship, the tendency was to encourage the use of ʻFAB Festivalʼ (which has always been the short form of the name) and play down the fact that FAB meant ʻFolk & Boatʼ.That was a clever bit of sleight of hand, which was designed to enable the council to ʻhave it both waysʼ. It meant that, if you wanted to, you could tell yourself that ʻFABʼ still meant ʻFolk & Boatʼ. If you didnʼt, it was just a ʻFABʼ Festival!

This idea, I know, was never popular with the Middlewich public.ʻFolk & Boatʼ has, over the years, become a local institution: ʻWhat are you doing over Folk & Boat Weekend?ʼ ʻWhoʼs on at Folk & Boat this year?ʼ ʻI must get some new clothes for Folk & Boatʼ Middlewich people never waste words and everyone knows just what ʻFolk & Boatʼ means. Thereʼs never any need for the word Festival to be tagged on to the end. So no one was ever going to go for the idea that the ʻFAB Festivalʼ was a new and different sort of festival. And, no matter what anyone may try to tell you, itʼs not ʻjust another Folk Festivalʼ, interchangeable with any other such event.

by Dave Roberts Itʼs a unique weekend in the Middlewich calendar, designed to bring together residents and visitors alike to share in some excellent music and to show people just what Middlewich can do when it sets its mind to it.

That was the original ethos of the Festival when it started in 1990, and it returned last year with a bang when Claire and Helen took on this event of events.

This year Middlewich has taken the Folk & Boat to its heart even more enthusiastically. So many people want to be a part of it, not for egotistical reasons, or for financial gain, but because theyʼre proud of their town and its legendary Folk & Boat Festival!

FRIDAY EVENING MAIN STAGE Friday night at Middlewich Folk & Boat 2024 is Rock ʻNʼ Roll night.

The fantastic Showaddywaddy will be returning to the festival to headline the Friday evening main event as part of their 50th anniversary tour.

Performing their greatest hits these guys will get everyone jumping up and down!

Joining the mighty Showaddywaddy is Niqi Brown as Tina Turner who will be playing a jam packed set with all the classics.This incredible Tina Turner Tribute Act will blow you away with her tribute to the Nutbush Queen!

Also performing Friday night is the fantastic Quo-Incidence one of the UKʼs best Status Quo tribute acts.

We also have the fantastic local band The Lookout opening the festival in our local support act slot.

This is not a night to be missed!

Tickets From: www.ticketsource.co.uk/middlewich -fab-fest

JOHN MCATEER FOLK STAGE Are you a singer, musician, performance poet, juggler, sword-swallower, escape artist, contortionist or acrobat? Are you a member of a band, or small orchestra? Do you perform in any way (within strict legal limits)? Hereʼs your chance to be a part of the legendary Middlewich Folk & Boat Festival on the JOHN McATEER FOLK STAGE at Middlewich Town Football Club over the Festival Weekend. Guest artists include KISSING THE FLINT, GARETH WILLIAMS, DARREN ROBERTS and THE LEAPING FROGS. If youʼd like to be among such illustrious company, we have Open Mike spots throughout the weekend. Just make yourselves known to us and weʼll fit you in if we can. Obviously we canʼt make promises as to times and days at this stage, but weʼll do our best over the weekend.

And who, you may ask, was JOHN McATEER? Well, John was one of the Festivalʼs pioneering founders back in 1990. He was the man who got all the finance together to launch the event, and his simple policy of never taking no for an answer got results (and money) from people who youʼd swear would never contribute in a million years. Johnʼs favourite expression has echoed down the years whenever the going got sticky for the FAB Festival: JUST DO IT! Weʼd all go to him with tentative ideas to improve the Festival, eager to discuss the pros and cons of our plans and his answer, invariaby, consisted of those three simple words.

Having got the Folk & Boat Festival off the ground John turned his attention to Middlewichʼs football club. The magnificent facilities the club enjoys today owe a lot to Johnʼs hard work and enterprise and so, when the idea of once again creating a Folk Stage for the Festival came up, my thoughts turned inevitably to John and how we could pay him a well deserved and long overdue tribute.

So welcome to the JOHN McATEER FOLK STAGE. If youʼre thinking of filling a spot at one of our Open Mike sessions, donʼt dither, donʼt falter, Just take a tip from the man himself: JUST DO IT!

HOSTED AT: MIDDLEWICH FOOTBALL CLUB, SEDDON STREET, MIDDLEWICH, CW10 9DT

LIVE MUSIC ALL WEEKEND OUTDOOR BEER GARDEN FOOD SERVED ALL WEEKEND

Middlewich United Reform Church Open All Weekend, performances throughout the weekend from Music For Life Refreshements served all day, sandwiches, bacon & sausage butties, tea & coffee Queen Street, Middlewich, CW10 9AR

SATURDAY DAYTIME MAIN STAGE Saturday daytime is family and community time, GINA COLLINS from Carpe Diem will be starting the Saturday procedings to soothe your mind, body and soul with her summer solstice sound healing meditation.

Followed by MELODY MOUSE PRESENTS SAFARI, entertain your little ones whilst we wait for the parade to arrive. If you've been to a Melody Mouse class before you know what they do, music, crafts, bubbles and more!! We can't have a safari without some animals so you can make your own animal hats before we get going with the music, action songs and dancing.

The PARADE arrives before we jump into our fantastic afternoon entertainment.

THE MOULTON CROWS perform the Crow dance, it is a strange, if not unique, traditional dance which takes place to entertain all who attend called ʻThe Origins of the Cornfieldʼ or better known as the ʻCrow Dance.'

KISSING THE FLINT are next up, Multi-award nominated international singer-songwriter Leah Chynoweth-Tidy is an Australian-brewed artist, Scottish-distilled since 2020 where she has been based in her fatherʼs native land.

Up and coming folk artist TORIA WOOFF joins our fantastic daytime lineup. Her truly unique tone and brilliant guitar skills will keep you entertained.

Returning to the festival after a cracking set last year, local band MAINE bring the indie anthems to you ahead of the Saturday head liners, this guys will get you warmed up and ready for the main event.

SATURDAY EVENING MAIN STAGE Saturday night is Rock Night at Middlewich Folk & Boat festival and do we have a treat in store for you!

ZZ TOPPD start the procedings, The UKʼs no.1 tribute to ZZ TOP. Beards, furry spinning guitars, greatest hits. Have mercy!

TANIA AS AMY WINEHOUSE, is an authentic tribute to the multi-award winning vocalist Amy Winehouse, not only whipping up a frenzy in the UK, but also taking the rest of the world by storm! Tania is flying in from Spain especially to perform for our festival.

THE BRUISED BROTHERS, will be singing songs from The Blues Brothers as well as great tunes from the golden age of soul music, bringing back the good time spirit and fun of the Blues Brothers.

To take you past your blues, ALMOST PINK, Pinkʼs longest running impersonator, will entertain with her Incredible energy and her unique style keeping you entertained all night!

Closing Saturday Night, QUEEN ONE VISION, are the U.Kʼs Most Authentic Queen Tribute Band, With superb attention to detail in music, costume and production, Queen One Vision deliver all of your favourite Queen hits, with a power and energy that is guaranteed to Blow Your Mind!

5 incredible tribute acts to keep your entertained all night, visit: www.ticketsource.co.uk/middlewich-fab-fest Tickets available online or on the door.

SUNDAY DAY TIME MAIN STAGE Sunday is chillout day at the Middlewich Folk & Boat, relax and enjoy the spectacular offering we have available all for FREE! Sunday begins with MIDDLEWICH CHURCHES TOGETHER and festival praise, a wonderful chruch service, anyone welcome.

CHESHIRE FIRE CHOIR make their festival debut, this choir are busy entertaining all across the country and have taken time to attend our festival, we are honoured to have them.

Next up the fantastic NATIVE WAY, award winning covers quartet from Stoke playing us through the decades from 50ʼs to current day.

Returning for a second year the fantastic MUDDY ELEPHANT, Indie rock band from the North West, these guys smashed it last year so much so that we had to have them back.

THE LANCS, follow after Muddy Elephant, Manchester Indie Duo, Vocalist Liam Scholes & Guitarist Josh Loyd, join our Sunday line up bringing their fantastic brand new indie sound.

Fresh from the Folk Stage, LEAPING FROGS, bring fantastic blues covers where harmonica takes the lead!

The Fantastic GAMBLER make their first appearance at the festival delivering classic rock covers!

The festival is closed this year by the fantastic SUZY HOPWOOD AS KYLIE, performing classic Kylie hits from all the decades, she will dazzle and delight you all!

OFFICIAL FESTIVAL BEER PRODUCERS

Bromley House Spindle Street, Congleton, United Kingdom 01260 299964 www.beartownbrewery.co.uk