Category Archives: Folk festivals

Appearances at folk festivals.

Wittfest

Back on home ground, Sunday 15th June saw us at Wittfest, a small free charity music festival that’s a fixture on the Havoc calendar. We were, as usual, dancing on the grass outside the concert tent. Luckily the weather had been dry. We’ve discovered in the past that dancing is hard work when the going is soft.

Even with firm ground, when grass is involved a stick doesn’t make much noise when it hits the ground. Cries of ‘Bang!’ were added to give on-lookers a clue as to the usual procedure.

Jenny Lynd at Wittfest.

Jenny Lynd at Wittfest.

Havoc musicians were augmented by a small extra, Steve and Audrey’s grandson Ethan.

Steve and Audrey's grandson Ethan appears in kit.

Steve and Audrey’s grandson Ethan appears in kit.

Chippenham Folk Festival

The weather forecast for our visit to the Chippenham Folk Festival on May 24th had not been good, and for once the weather delivered on the Met Office’s promise. We got rained on.

We kicked off at the Rose and Crown. It wasn’t particularly dry outside, so we danced inside. Dorset Buttons Rapper were sensibly of the same mind.

Dorset Buttons Rapper sensibly opt for the inside option at the Rose and Crown.

Dorset Buttons Rapper sensibly opt for the inside option at the Rose and Crown.

The low beams gave our esteemed Squire a little cause for concern.

Banbury Bill at the Rose and Crown, Chippenham. Pete is troubled by the low beam,

Banbury Bill at the Rose and Crown, Chippenham. Pete is troubled by the low beam.

Some others didn’t notice the problem.

Banbury Bill in the Rose and Crown, Chippenham. Barbara is not troubled by the low beam.

Banbury Bill in the Rose and Crown, Chippenham. Barbara is not troubled by the low beam.

Next stop was the lower end of the High Street, with Cornwalls’ very own Wreckers Border Morris. We got away with a light soaking for our first dance, but for the second dance had to resort to the infamous Sidesteps with Umbrellas.

Cry Havoc's Brolly Sidesteps. Dancing in the rain at the Chippenham Folk Festival.

Cry Havoc’s Brolly Sidesteps. Dancing in the rain at the Chippenham Folk Festival.

The Parade down the High Street was threatened with rain that thankfully didn’t materialise. And by the time we turned up for our last spot with Ditchling Morris and Winchester the sun had positively started shining.

Ditchling Morris at Chippenham.

Ditchling Morris at Chippenham.

The sun shines on the Winchester Morris Men at Chippenham.

The sun shines on the Winchester Morris Men at Chippenham.

Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

The weather was kind to us as we took part in the Saturday happenings of Oxford Folk Weekend.

We started in Gloucester Green in the middle of the festival Village Fete.

Dancing Banbury Bill at the Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

Dancing Banbury Bill at the Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

Old Speckled Hen at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

Old Speckled Hen at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

We then moved on to Oxford Castle.

Gwerinwyr Gwent Welsh folk dance from Newport

Gwerinwyr Gwent Welsh folk dance from Newport

After a little lunch, we joined a motley assortment of other sides outside The Bear in Alfred Street.

Dancing Highland Mary at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

Dancing Highland Mary at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

We then had a bit of a break before out last engagement of the day – running the festival Family Morris Dance Workshop. We think we did rather well – after a mere 40 minutes we had adults and children together doing most of Constant Billy! After that, a little show and tell about our musical instruments, and then we finished off with everybody joining in a Shepherd’s Hey.

Cry Havoc running the Family Morris Dance Workshop at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

Cry Havoc running the Family Morris Dance Workshop at Oxford Folk Weekend 2014

A Grand Day Out.

Random pictures from Cry Havoc’s 20th anniversary year