Tickets for Cambridge Folk Festival which takes place 30 July – 2 August 2020 in the picturesque grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge, go on sale next week on 10 December. The Festival is celebrating 56 years since the inaugural event when a young Paul Simon was given a spot at the foot of the bill.
In the latest press release, they have also shared that Eddie Barcan, who previously programmed 23 consecutive sell-outs, returns as guest artistic director for 2020. Eddie said:
“For me, Cambridge is about the sheer variety and quality of the music, the new discoveries as well as the stars. The entire weekend is a unique experience and you need to be there all four days to really appreciate it. I can’t wait to share what I’m working on for 2020.”
2019 was, according to our two team members that attended, a good year. Nick Mulvey who joined the ranks of artist-curators seemed to go down incredibly well with FRUK’s Danny Neill commenting “Wherever you encountered him, Nick Mulvey seemed to be spreading warmth, colour and music to lift the spirits”, you can read our interview with Nick Mulvey here.
Also, read Danny Neill’s review | David Weir’s review
In the intervening years, the Festival has hosted a who’s who of the brightest and biggest international stars across the folk, roots, Americana, country, blues and world genres, including Joan Baez, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris, Richard Thompson, Patti Smith, Nick Cave, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Gillian Welch, Jimmy Cliff, Mavis Staples, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucinda Williams, First Aid Kit, Christy Moore, Baaba Maal, Joe Strummer, Billy Bragg, Amadou & Mariam, The Chieftains, Judy Collins, Sinead O’Connor and The Proclaimers, to name but a few.
The festival also prides itself on providing a platform for relative newcomers to the scene. For our reviewers, these names are often found on The Den and Coldham’s Common open stages. Names mentioned in this year’s reviews from those stages included Calum Gilligan and Caitlin Gilligan, and Chloe Foy.
Beyond the world-class musical feast on the main stages, Cambridge Folk Festival buzzes with a whole range of other activities, from workshops and discussions to well-being and children’s entertainment, for an all-round, unique weekend experience.
‘I’m very happy to see the Cambridge Folk Festival return for its 56th edition,’ said Antoinette Jackson, chief executive of Cambridge City Council which delivers the Festival. ‘Year after year, the Festival welcomes music lovers to the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall to hear top artists from around the world. It’s a testament to what a vibrant place Cambridge is that it hosts one of the most prestigious and longest-running folk festivals in the UK.’
Ticket information:
Full festival ticket: £182, Thursday: £30, Friday: £75, Saturday: £75, Sunday: £75
Purchase from: https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/folk-festival/tickets
Photo Credit: Martin Bond