Gate To Southwell Festival : Acts set for four-day music extravaganza

The 11th annual Gate To Southwell gets under way on Thursday and it promises to be four days of music — including local, national and international acts — and entertainment.

The festival will feature more than 60 acts on four main undercover stages as well as ceilidhs, dance displays, poets and storytellers.

It launches next Thursday with, among others, the Scottish collective Blazin’ Fiddles and The Changing Room, a modern folk collaboration between Sam Kelly and Tanya Brittain.

British folk star Kate Rusby is the headline act on the Friday night.

The Barnsley singer is famous for her Mercury-nominated debut Sleepless, her acclaimed collection The Girl Who Couldn’t Fly, and Christmas album Sweet Bells.

Headline act for Saturday is Jon Boden, who fronted Bellowhead for ten years.

He is also well known for his work with John Spiers, his band The Remnant Kings and also Eliza Carthy’s Ratcatchers.

The festival will host a Summer Of Love@50 celebration to mark 50 years since the US hippy movement in California broke through into the mainstream.

Having led the house band for last year’s Dylan@75 tribute gig, Jim Moray returns for the flower-powered extravaganza.

Also in the line-up are internationally-renowned Canadian acts such as Le Vent Du Nord — who were a huge hit at the 2012 festival — and the East Pointers from Prince Edward Island, plus acclaimed Californian ukulele band the Ooks Of Hazzard, Mallorcan world music band BOC and popular English husband-and-wife folk duo Megson.

There is also American folk-blues guitarist Chris Smither, the BBC Folk Award-winning duo Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, Celtic contemporary music from Ranagri, and the all-female gothic folk troubadours Wookalily.

Legendary harmony supergroup Daphne’s Flight are reuniting to appear at Southwell and there is a rare chance to see Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley.

Alongside the music, punk poet Attila The Stockbroker is at the festival for the first time and Les Barker also makes an appearance.

On Saturday there will be a spoken-word showcase followed on Sunday by The Southwell Slam, an open poetry and spoken word competition.

For children, there is a first appearance by Polly’s Party Bus, the arachaeological adventure How Time Flies, and Jason Maverick with bald-headed hoopla and teddy bear Swing-ball.

The festival runs until Sunday, June 11.