Music lovers mark your calendars – the inaugural Washington Folk Festival will take place over Easter weekend and feature some of the biggest names in the UK folk scene.
This brand-new event will bring together established stars including Martin Simpson, Bob Fox, Tom McConville, and Jez Lowe, alongside exciting rising talent like Frankie Archer.
Hosted and organised by Arts Centre Washington (ACW), the festival is supported by Sunderland Music City and will form part of Sunderland’s Year of Music, which is underlining the city’s commitment to live performance and grassroots culture.
As well as a line-up of top folk talent, the festival weekend will include a ceilidh for all ages, hands-on workshops and a Real Ale Festival in ACW’s Courtyard Bar.
The festival will start on Thursday, April 2, with a performance from Frankie Archer, who’s music was described by BBC Radio 2 as “fascinating and intoxicating.” Frankie’s unique, fresh sound has pricked up the ears of fans and press, being featured in The Guardian, Bandcamp Best Of, Amazing Radio Tips for 2024, NME New Bangers, and earning wonderful reviews from Clash Magazine, Tradfolk and Fresh on the Net. Frankie’s show will start at 7.30pm at ACW and tickets cost £12.
The following day, First Friday Folk will host a concert featuring brilliant singers from across the region. The line-up will include Ken Tongue and Jaene Fitzgerald, who perform as part of the North’s leading skiffle band, Hop, Skiffle and Jump, but who also enjoy performing traditional folk ballads.
First Friday Folk will also include performances from Barry and Ingrid Temple, harmony singers of traditional and original songs, and Salty Dog, a trio performing a quality mix of acoustic music. First Friday Folk will be free from 1pm at ACW.
Later on the Friday afternoon (2pm) ukulele virtuoso Christopher Davis-Shannon will perform selections ranging from the great American songbook to Hawaiian standards to Brazilian bossa nova as well as his own originals. Tickets for the show cost £6.
One of the UK’s most revered folk performers, Martin Simpson, will complete the Festival’s Friday line-up in style. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, Martin’s interpretations of traditional songs are masterpieces of storytelling. His remarkable solo shows are intense, eclectic, spellbinding and deeply moving. Tickets for his show, which starts at ACW at 7.30, cost £15.
Following his show, Martin will lead a rare, in-depth workshop on Saturday, April 4 (10am to 12 noon). Martin will share his approach to arranging, demonstrate his favourite open tunings, and offer insight into how he shapes a song on the guitar. With live performance examples and plenty of space for questions, this is a chance to learn directly from one of folk music’s most innovative players. Tickets cost £7 and early booking is recommended.
The same afternoon, Frankie Archer will lead her own workshop, looking at the tools and techniques behind her electrifying electrofolk sound. Frankie’s Electrofying Folk will start at 1.30pm and tickets cost £5.
If it’s dancing as well as music you’re interested in, then an Afternoon Ceilidh with the Blue Cat Ceilidh Band is for you. Matt Blyth, Culture and Heritage Officer at ACW, explained: “It’ll be a family-friendly afternoon of dancing and no previous experience will be necessary – all dances will be clearly explained by two experienced callers. Expect an afternoon of dancing, laughter and music that’s guaranteed to get your feet tapping.”
Tickets for the ceilidh, at 12.30pm on Saturday, April 4, cost £7.
The Washington Folk Festival will close with a special night celebrating the very best of North East folk culture as The Davy Lamp Folk Club returns to ACW for a unique show. Featured artists will include:
- Tom McConville with Andy Watt: BBC Radio 2 Musician of the Year, Tom’s superb fiddle playing and rich vocals—paired with Andy Watt’s outstanding musicianship—promise a set brimming with energy, elegance, and tradition.
- Jez Lowe: A celebrated songwriter and the creative force behind the award-winning BBC Radio 2 series The Radio Ballads, Jez brings sharp wit, powerful stories, and unforgettable melodies.
- Bob Fox and Stu Luckley: Winners of Melody Maker’s Folk Album of the Year, this iconic duo deliver impeccable harmonies and masterful guitar work.
Matt said: “We’re delighted the return of The Davy Lamp Folk Club will form a highlight of this year’s Washington Folk Festival. The club has played a vital role in the cultural life of both the Arts Centre and the wider Washington community, bringing exceptional folk musicians to local audiences over many decades.
“This special evening celebrates that legacy, featuring artists who were regular favourites — including Bob Fox, one of the club’s original founders. Their music has inspired generations of folk performers, and it’s a privilege to welcome them back.
“We’re in for a real treat, and we encourage everyone to book early for all Festival concerts and workshops so they can be part of what we hope will become a cherished annual tradition in Washington.”
Marty Longstaff, Music Officer at Sunderland Music City – and of The Lake Poets – said: “It’s incredibly exciting to have a folk festival back in Wearside, celebrating a genre that’s so deeply rooted in our region’s musical heritage.
“The Washington Folk Festival brings together world-class artists, emerging talent and community spirit in a way that perfectly reflects what Sunderland Music City, and the Year of Music are all about.”
To buy tickets, or for more information, go to https://www.sunderlandculture.org.uk/whats-on/washington-folk-festival/
To coincide with the folk festival, a special Heritage Reels screening of famed film-maker Ken Russell’s Folk documentary will be shown at ACW on Wednesday, April 1 (1pm, pay as you feel). In this eye-opening documentary, Ken Russell tours the countryside in search of the roots of the English folk song.
