Tickets are on sale now for a vibrant new folk festival coming to Hartlepool later this year.

The first Headland Folk Fest will see a host of live music performances, workshops and activities for kids take place at venues on the Headland over two days in October.

It has been created by a new team after the organisers of Hartlepool Folk Festival announced they were leaving town after 10 years last October.

Becky Seal-Smith has set up community interest company (CIC) Headland Folk Fest Hartlepool and has a core committee of local musicians and business people.

Gaelforce will be one of the bands performing at the new Headland Folk Fest.

placeholder image — Gaelforce will be one of the bands performing at the new Headland Folk Fest.

As well as putting on a memorable weekend of folk music, the organisers also aim to support the development of local music and businesses on the Headland.

Event director Becky said: “We are doing it because we want to bring money and people into the Headland.

"It has got lovely old pubs and buildings, but they sometimes get overlooked. The main aim of the festival is to keep it being used and busy.

"We are planning to run three or four events during the year with the folk fest being the biggest.”

Appearing will be Malin Hill, an English folk duo based in Nottingham.

It is set to take place over three days from October 2-4 and a number of bands and artists are set to appear including Gaelforce, celtic folk trio Róisín Bán and harmony band Generation 4.

Festival organisers are working with St Hilda’s Church and their music director Ian Pounder to hold concerts.

The Heugh Battery Museum is set to host an outdoor stage with live music performances, plus Morris dancing and a World War Two themed day with re-enactment platoon.

The Globe will hold singarounds inside and occasion busker style entertainment.

And The Cosmopolitan will have children’s entertainment in the gardens, indoor singalongs and group workshops.

The Headland Club will also hold a craft fair, kids’ entertainment and an evening concert.

Organisers are appealing for willing volunteers including to act as stewards.

A number of satellite events are planned before the main festival with the first being a St Patrick’s Night Pub Crawl on Saturday, March 14.

For ticket details of this and other events, visit headfolkhart.co.uk.