WORLD music stars are set to descend on Dorset next week for the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival (PVFF).
Held at Purbeck Valley Farm off the A351 between Corfe Castle and Harman’s Cross from August 14 to 17, visitors can take part in hundreds of activities.
This includes fun for all the family, with ceilidhs, workshops, sessions, comedy, crafts, a healing area, fire shows and lots more for children and teens.
And some more creative events for adults to enjoy – including a beard-off, fancy dress and fire shows.
This independent event has gone from strength to strength over the years, organisers said, at a time when so many other grassroots festivals are struggling and having to cancel.
“It’s the idyllic setting that makes PVFF unique, nestling in the middle of the Purbeck hills with views across Corfe Castle, Swanage Railway’s heritage steam trains running alongside the site and the beautiful Jurassic Coast just around the corner,” they said.
The very broad definition of ‘folk’ at PVFF means that there’s loads of world music like Madalitso from Malawi, Kate Griffin & Matchume Zango (UK/Mozambique), The Zawose Queens (Tanzania), Theo Mizu & Banda (Brazil) and Mishra & Deepa Shakthi (UK/India) gracing the festival’s three main stages, as well as acoustic pop/rock acts including I am Kloot’s Mercury-music-award-nominated singer-songwriter, John Bramwell.
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For those who like their folk a little more traditional, major acts playing include Elephant Sessions, Dervish, Kathryn Tickell & the Darkening, Ranagri, Gadarene, Edgelarks, Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman, Pons Aelius, Man the Lifeboats and Jim Moray.
It wouldn’t be Purbeck Valley without the likes of Quinns Quinney, Rigmarollers, Fly Yeti Fly, Threepenny Bit, Owl in the Sun, Wareham Whalers, Kelp and the Bierfass Band raising the barn roofs.
But PVFF is so much more than the music – there are a greater number of kids’ activities than ever before, including The Circus of Science, the Activity Zone with slacklining, archery and a climbing wall, the expanding teen hangout tent, storytelling, circus skills and crafts.
New this year is the Happy Baby, Happy Me sensory baby singing group and the Maddie’s Miracle Breastfeeding Support Bus.
Then there is plenty of comedy, ceilidhs, jam sessions, busking, the Purbeck Rising music contest, workshops, a beard-off, poetry, fancy dress (the theme this year is the letter F), a healing area, adult crafts, and fire shows.
Festival director Catherine Burke said: “PVFF is a festival that’s loved by everyone because there’s loads for kids to do, loads for parents and loads for the old folkies!
“We have four evenings and three full days of outstanding, original young folk, roots and world music across five stages thanks to a brilliant musical line-up.
“Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is so much more than just a great music festival. There is also an unprecedented number of activities for children, a huge craft area for adults, a perfect location and a great selection of real ales and ciders.
“Tickets have been selling fast already with record numbers of festival-goers buying tickets for this year’s festival before they even left the site last year – so hurry if you want to attend.”
Advance tickets are on sale now from £205 (adults), £85 (13 to 17-year-olds and £40 (four to 12-year-olds) for the weekend,Thursday to Sunday, including camping.
Tickets on the gate will be £235/£95/£40). Under-threes are free but need a ticket.
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