Sea giants, shanties and more as Hartlepool Folk Festival stages new look event on the Headland

Hartlepool Folk Festival is putting on a mixture of family events and online music performances on Saturday.

Due to Covid-19, it is a scaled down event compared to the town’s traditional folk festival which attracts performers and folk fans from across the country.

But organisers are confident of still putting on a great show and say whether you’re a complete newcomer to folk or love a jig and a shanty, there will be so much to do.

Joan Crump, Hartlepool Folk Festival director, said: “It is quite scaled down to the way that it normally would be but still provides us with the opportunity to so something on a different scale and should still be really fun.”

The Family Folk Day will take place on Saturday, October 16, from noon to 7pm in the Town Square.

One of the main attractions will be Eko, a sea giant puppet operated by seven top puppeteers, which will interact with spectators.

It will also feature in a performance called Out of the Deep Blue, and in a procession accompanied by music and fire to return him to the sea to end the day at 6pm.

There will also be music and dance displays on the main stage in the square from performers including The Wilsons, from Billingham and the Melrose Quartet from Sheffield.

And there will be lots of workshops to take part in with circus skills, crafts, and musical instruments including the ukulele.

Hartlepool Folk Festival did not go ahead at all last year because of the pandemic.

Joan added: “Everything at the Family Folk Day is free and outdoors. It feels like a more responsible way to run the event and also allows us to do something pretty amazing for local people.”

A number of exclusive online performances will also be held on Saturday available to watch on the festival’s website from 12.45pm to 8pm.

They include Norma Waterson, the songs of Tony Rose featuring The Melsons, and the Martin Carthy 80th birthday concert featuring Eliza Carthy.

See the full programme and get tickets for the online programme from hartlepoolfolkfest.co.uk

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