After the huge success of the first WinterFest last year the second festival is on the horizon in 2020 to cheer up the doldrums of January.
The event is run completely by volunteers and all profits go to Broadstairs Folk Week. Last year it raised thousands of pounds and is again being supported by isle businesses with donations of prizes and a range of food and drink.
The festival takes place once again at the Sarah Thorne Theatre in Broadstairs over the weekend of Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19 and there are a variety of tickets on offer.
Tickets range from £8-£18 or £48 for Saturday and Sunday and £55 for the whole event and are available online from http://broadstairsfolkweekfundraising.co.uk/winterfest.html
Friday night will be a chance to let your hair down and dance. Saturday and Sunday showcase the best of talented musicians in concert, including the legendary Chris Difford of Squeeze.
The Sarah Thorne Theatre will have a licensed bar, hot food, teas and coffee and cake available to buy.
There is a second fundraiser the following weekend with the Burns Night Ceilidh on Friday, January 25 at Broadstairs Pavilion.
The event features the Up Yer Kilt Band with caller Douglas Hudson. Tickets for the dance are available separately from the events at the Sarah Thorne Theatre but all profits from all events will go to Broadstairs Folk Week.
Pavilion on the Sands Burns Night Ceilidh
8pm – 11pm – Tickets available from 01843 600999
Dance Tickets only £10 – £16.50 with Traditional Burns Night Supper if booked in advance.
WinterFest line up
Friday 17 January evening
The Lowly Strung
Hobo and the Hippies
Shedness
Saturday 18 January afternoon
Glymjack
Sam Brothers
Sally Ironmonger & Brian Carter
Capella
Saturday 18 January evening
The Little Unsaid
Edgelarks
Thomas Abrahams
Richie Triangle
Sunday 19 January afternoon
Mazaika
Phil Henry
Missouri Gutts
No Second Spring
Sunday 19 January evening
Chris Difford
Arcelia
Lunch Special
Dave Ellis and Boo Howard
Opening Times:
Friday Evening: 6pm
Saturday Afternoon: 1pm
Saturday Evening: 5:30pm
Sunday Afternoon: 1pm
Sunday Evening: 5:30pm
The music ends at 10:30pm on Friday & Saturday, and 10pm on Sunday.
Performers
The Lowly Strung
An exhilarating five-piece Americana/bluegrass band, have been building a sizeable and passionate following across Kent for their vibrant and exciting blend of country and bluegrass music
Hobo & the Hippies
Hugely popular alt/indie band from Kent with plenty of gypsy jazz folk to get you dancing.
Shedness
Three ex-Bubble Band members, a Missouri Gutt and a highly inventive banjo player play an eclectic mix of dancing music.
Glymjack
English folk act Acoustic calls “as good as contemporary folk comes”. Led by singer-songwriter Greg McDonald, Glymjack generally play live as an acoustic trio with Greg joined by fiddle virtuoso Gemma Gayner and bassist Dickon Collinson, delivering a high energy, harmony-rich set of hard-hitting originals, English folk songs and fiddle tunes.
Sam Brothers
Sam is a massive talent – a remarkable guitarist and unique song-writer, blessed with an astonishing voice that recalls the gentle sensitivity of Nick Drake, but underscored by the screaming power and swooping range of Jeff Buckley.
Capella Tony & Lesley Petty
Well known on the folk circuit for a wide range of songs, traditional and contemporary, with beautiful harmonies,
The Little Unsaid
They began life in a tiny West Yorkshire town when a teenaged John Elliott rescued an old PC and microphone from the trash and began making records with them. Since then, with long-time collaborators Tim Heymerdinger (drums), Alison D’Souza (strings and FX), Mariya Brachkova (Moog bass and backing vocals) and Sonny Johns (bass and electric guitar).
Edgelarks
“This duo has a combination of virtuosity, intensity and charisma that merits a slot on much bigger stages” John L. Walters, The Guardian www.edgelarks.co.uk
Thomas Abrahams Band
Tom Abrahams is an outstanding guitarist. Imagine yourself sitting in a 1930s Paris bar listening to Django Reinhardt? Expect original Jazz and Gypsy Jazz classics, as well as some brilliantly crafted contemporary pop covers done in a Gypsy Jazz style.
http://www.thomasabrahams.com/
Richie Triangle
Guitarist Richie plays a mix of popular covers and Irish folk.
Mazaika
Classical showpieces, Neapolitan songs and opera arias, Russian folk songs and breathtaking Gypsy fiddle music, Argentinian and Russian Tangos, Hot Club Swing and evocative original compositions.
Missouri Gutts
A three piece acoustic Americana folk rock band playing a mix of original songs and music by the likes of Bob Dylan, the Old Crow Medicine Show and Steve Earle. www.missourigutts.co.uk
No Second Spring
Charismatic frontman of one of Kent’s most popular bands – the Chimney Boys.
Dave Ellis & Boo Howard
London based acoustic duo with a musical partnership that began in 1979.
Lunch Special
London-based bluegrass and Americana band. Members Neala Hickey, Vivian Li, and Luca Serino have roots spreading across three continents.
Arcelia
Soulful folk from the valleys of Kent. With a sound likened to Crosby Stills & Nash, America, Paul Simon, coupled with their stunning songs of everyday life & loves, they’re in demand as support for the likes of Scott Matthews, Oysterband, Jon Gomm, Michele Stodart, Maddy Prior & regularly join Chris Difford of Squeeze on his solo UK dates. www.arcelia.co.uk
Chris Difford
Grammy nominated and double Ivor Novello Award winning lyricist who has brought us characters and sketches from everyday life, and has successfully turned the mundane into the beautiful, the urbane into the exquisite, for over 40 years. With his collaborator, Squeeze co-founder Glenn Tilbrook, Chris has written some of the most enduring and best-loved songs of our time such as ‘Up The Junction’, ‘Cool For Cats’ and ‘Labelled With Love’, ‘Tempted’ and many others. Squeeze returned with new album ‘The Knowledge’ in October 2017, followed by extensive world-wide touring into 2018.