Colourful photos of successful Oxford Folk Festival

A team of volunteers stepped in after the previous organisers left and have compiled a packed programme of Morris dancing and performances by bands and folk musicians.

With about 120 artists and bands performing across 14 venues, the festival ran from Friday to Sunday, April 21. 

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In January this year the news broke that the well-respected annual folk festival, Folk Weekend: Oxford, which itself had developed from an earlier Oxford Folk Festival, would be wound up, defeated by lack of funds.

But four volunteers from the previous festival decided they could not let the matter rest.

Having been volunteer helpers at the festival in previous years, Jane Bird, Jen Cox, Jack Evans and Ginnie Redston decided to step in.

Ms Redston said: "I'm just so thrilled with the way it worked out and the way everyone responded to the performances.

"All the local musicians from miles around volunteered their services for free.

"It was a fantastic effort by a small team of volunteers and we worked hard to get all the venues on side.

"We have had such lovely feedback from performers and punters and now we are looking forward to next year."

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Folk fans enjoyed the full programme, including Eliza Carthy; Owen Spafford and Louis Campbell; Ranagri; The Celtic Heartbeat; Matt Green and Andy Turner, Ian Giles and Three Pressed Men; Milady Clare’s Musicke; The Trials of Cato with Moonaroon; Katie Grace Harris; The Holy Fools; and many more.

The Covered Market remained the hub for the local musicians on all three days, and in the Westgate Library there were two children’s workshops organised through the County Music service, as well as additional local performances.

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Venues taking part included the Weston Room at The Bodleian Library, the Old Fire Station, The Covered Market, Jericho Tavern, Blackwells’ Norrington Room and Upper Meeting Room, The Tap Social, Friends Meeting House, St Barnabas Church, the Blue Room at St Aldate’s Tavern, St Michael in the Northgate, The Orchard Hall in Harwell, The North Wall, Common Ground, and the Westgate Public Library.

The majority of the performances were free.

Jen Cox and Jane Bird organised the Morris dancing and the ceilidhs.

Jen Cox, OxFolk, dance development manager for the English Folk Dance and Song Society, said earlier: "The community spirit and enthusiasm we've felt while organising this year's event have been palpable and really lovely and inspiring."

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