What’s it about? Any folk festival with Eliza Carthy as patron has to be worth its weight in straw – if you’ve yet to sample the trad delights of the Cheltenham Folk Festival then this year is the time to give it a go

CFF manages to avoid the crowds of a bigger folky fest and is aptly situated in the stately Cheltenham Town Hall in the thick of Gloucestershire rural-ness. With a prestigious lineup featuring nominees from this year’s Radio 2 Folk Awards, the absolute highlight of CFF is that the event always manages to take over the town – with all sorts of spontaneous Morris Dancing japes in the street, acoustic sessions down at the music library and huge inclusive dance sessions

If folk is your thing, grab a cheap ticket and head over there

Book now if you love: Fiddles, spontaneous dancing, brightly-coloured handkerchiefs

Don’t miss: Show of Hands - these WOMAD and Glasto favourites are widely believed to be the finest acoustic duo in all the land…

Want to go? Weekend tickets are £66 each, family tickets are £165. Individual events are priced modestly. For all bookings call 01242 227979 or go to www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk


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