Twenty-five years of Ely Folk Festival

This year, Ely Folk Festival will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary. From small beginnings in the Cutter Pub as Ely Folk Day in 1985, the festival has grown to be one of the premier events in the British folk calendar. In 2009 it was listed in the Sunday Times’ 100 top music festivals, one of only five folk music festivals to have made it into the top 100.

The first Ely Festival took place on 19-20 July 1985, although in those days it was called Ely Folk Day. The line-up for the first festival was the Kipper Family, Steve Turner, English Tapestry, and Titanic Productions, and the venue was the Cutter Pub by the river in Ely. A ticket to the full event cost just £4.50! The second festival took place 18-20 July 1986 and the line-up included Dr Sunshine’s Pavement Show, The Crows and Chris Cole, plus lots of morris dancers. From this time, morris dancing became an important element of the festival.

The third festival in 1987 was a more ambitious affair – it had become the Ely Folk Weekend and the season ticket price had gone up to £10. It was around this time that the Little Downham ‘Molly Man’ was introduced as the festival’s logo recognising the link between fen folk traditions of old and new. Guests included Martin Carthy, Steve Turner, Roger Wilson, Witcham Toll, Janet Russell, John and Sue Kirkpatrick, Dr Sunshine, the Kipper Family and Syzewell Gap.

The Festival continued to grow gradually and used various pubs and other venues around Ely until 1991 when it moved onto one site with a marquee at the Pocket Park near the river in Ely. The Pocket Park site was fondly remembered for its scenic views of Ely Cathedral, the rattle of the trains from the nearby rail line, and the aroma of the neighbouring sewage works – especially on warm summer evenings!  Here acts such as Show of Hands, Baka Beyond, Anam and Last Night’s Fun introduced a wider audience to the diversity of folk music.

The Festival continued to grow gradually and used various pubs and other venues around Ely until 1991 when it moved onto one site with a marquee at the Pocket Park near the river in Ely.  The Pocket Park site was fondly remembered for its scenic views of Ely Cathedral, the rattle of the trains from the nearby rail line, and the aroma of the neighbouring sewage works – especially on warm summer evenings!  Here acts such as Show of Hands, Baka Beyond, Anam and Last Night’s Fun introduced a wider audience to the diversity of folk music.

The early festivals were organised by Sue and Gerry Rees who moved to the Ely area in the early 1980s. Sue and Gerry were instrumental in making the festival happen each year until 1993 when they moved to Northern Ireland. Following their departure, the festival has been organised each year by a committee of volunteers.

The festival remained at the Pocket Park until 2000 when last minute problems with the site forced the festival to find a new home – Ely Outdoor Centre. Following a gap in 2001, the festival has remained at the Outdoor Centre where all facilities and camping areas are available on one site making it very accessible and family friendly.

Over the years, the festival has grown and developed to offer a wide and eclectic mix of well-known and up-and-coming British and international folk musicians. However, it has retained a small, family-friendly atmosphere with opportunities for all to meet well known folk acts up close and take part in music and dance workshops, sessions, ceilidhs, morris dancing (including the Saturday morning morris dance procession through Ely), and children’s entertainment.

Highlights over the years have included:

• The entire audience in the main marquee on its feet swaying along to the afro-celtic beat of Baka Beyond in 2000 as well as the first ever morris dancing procession through the streets of Ely on the Saturday morning of the festival

• Those stirring Scottish drummers Saor Patrol bringing a lot of highland attitude to the streets of Ely in 2002 and the magic of the Old Rope String Band

• The excitement of the Accoustic Strawbs in 2005 combined with the electric sound of Colvin Quarmby

• Rain, rain and more rain in 2006 but an enthusiastic audience dancing along to the Oysterband on the Saturday night.

The festival weaves its magic on all who attend, and even a sprinkling of romance – as evidenced by Tom and Sarah Sennett who met there for the first time many years ago and tied the knot in 2008.

This year is the festival’s 25th, and while it has grown over the years and the Molly Man logo has given way to a contemporary logo, Ely Folk Festival has retained it’s reputation for seeing great live acts in an intimate and family friendly environment. To celebrate this illustrious anniversary, the 2010 festival will include familiar faces from pervious Ely Folk Festivals such as Oysterband, Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley, Vin Garbutt and Les Barker; new faces to the festival like the Demon Barber Roadshow and Chris Kelly, Maggie Bell and the British Blues Quintet; and exciting new acts like Bryony Lemon and Tyde. In addition, the 2010 festival will include ceilidhs and French bals, morris performances celebrating the diversity of morris dancing around the country, Jan and her Van entertaining the children, and a proper real ale bar.

The 2010 festival promises to be a celebration all that Ely Folk Festival prides itself on – great live music in a family friendly environment in a wonderful cathedral city in the fens.