Festival of finest folk

Amazing multi-instrumentalist Tim Edey, Sheffield-based Bison and local folk star Bella Hardy will head an all-star line-up at the annual Peak District music festival, which runs from 7pm on Friday May 10 to 6.30pm on Sunday May 12.

Edey will get the festival underway on the Friday evening aboard a special folk train through the Hope Valley, before taking to the stage for the rest of the opening concert.

Hoof-stomping party beast Bison will headline on the Saturday, while Edale’s very own Bella Hardy will bring the festival to a climactic finale on Sunday.

In between, local musicians will mix with a line-up of national stars including Rachel Sermanni and the amazing Son Yambu who hails all the way from Cuba.

The festival, which is held on Edale Playing Field, is a charity event, raising funds for a Kenyan school and an organisation that helps torture survivors.

Many of Hope Valley’s finest young musicians – plus a few older ones – will feature during the weekend, including Bamford-bred Robin Beatty’s Old Dance School, the Wright family from Hathersage, Izzy Burns from Hathersage and Danny Wallington from Edale.

“The festival is designed for people of all ages,” said organiser Sarah Eldridge. “There’ll be entertainment for children and an opportunity for budding musicians to practice their musical technique at workshops run by performers.”

For the first time this year the local church will host a special folk service on the Sunday morning, featuring local musicians from around the valley.

There’ll be poetry and prose too, with local writers reading from their work and former Derbyshire Poet Laureate River Wolton will lead a writing workshop where participants can practise their own literary skills.

Weekend tickets are priced £50 for adults, £37 for under-18s or £120 for a family of two adults and up to three children.

Individual day tickets are also available, priced between £17 and £29 for adults depending on which day you choose.

Camping must be booked separately.

For further information on tickets and how to book, or to view a full festival line-up, visit www.edalefolkfestival.co.uk.