Slaithwaite is to have a new folk festival with the aim that it will become an annual event.
The New Folk Festival will be at Slaithwaite Civic Hall on Saturday, March 28, from 4pm to 10pm and will feature folk musicians from across the UK.
It’s been organised by Colne Valley-based record label and live music promoter Red Deer Club and its founder, Duncan Sime, said: “This one-day event brings together a vibrant mix of artists from across the UK folk scene to celebrate the diversity, experimentation and storytelling at the heart of contemporary folk music.
“Our events foster close connections between artists and listeners and seek to push the boundaries of what folk can be. We are committed to platforming diverse voices, supporting underrepresented artists and nurturing local talent through our collaborative programme and hosted gatherings.’’
Since September 2023 Red Deer Club has hosted intimate live music nights at their ‘spiritual home’ of Zapato Tap on Huddersfield Narrow Canal between Slaithwaite and Marsden, The Northern Quarter music venue in Huddersfield town centre, Slaithwaite Civic Hall and at festivals across the region.
The Slaithwaite folk festival will be headlined by Angeline Morrison (main image) who is one of the leading voices in English folk music today and is widely celebrated for her soulful, resonant voice, evocative songwriting and deeply affecting performances.
The rest of the line-up is folk duo Burd Ellen, The Pegwells – a trio bringing the spirit of Appalachian old-time music to Yorkshire – improvising trio Sullow and The Midges who describe themselves as playing ‘local music for local people.’
The festival has been made possible by funding from The Early Career Promoter Fund via the Performing Rights Society Foundation and Arts Council England.
Tickets cost £20 and are on sale on the Red Deer Club website at https://www.reddeer.club/event/the-new-folk-festival-2026/
Photo of Angeline Morrison by Nick Duffy.
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.
