Following on from part 1 of our festive listings, it’s time for part 2!
There’s something to keep you entertained every day in Christmas week, even on Christmas Day itself (Belshazzar’s Feast instead of the Queen’s speech, anyone?) As ever, I’ll update the website if I spot anything else or notice any changes.
This is the last issue before Christmas, and I’d like to say a big thanks to everyone for reading and I wish you all a happy (and importantly, healthy) festive season!
MONDAY 21 DECEMBER
The Dartmoor Midwinter Sessions with Show of Hands and Friends — 7.30pm GMT
Firebrand Music Events
Celebrate the Solstice with seasonal songs and carols from Show of Hands and friends, filmed from a candlelit medieval barn overlooking the moors. Featuring Geoff Lakeman, Rob Murch, Miranda Sykes, Chris Hoban, Jim Causley, Paul Downes, Odette Michell, James Studholme and Seth Lakeman.
Tickets £15
Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band - Carols from Stones Barn — 7.30pm GMT
Park Promotions
Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span is joined by The Carnival Band for an evening of festive music filmed at her home and much-loved workshop venue, Stones Barn. You can also join them after the livestream for a Q&A on Zoom.
Tickets £12
Silent Night: The Belshazzar's Feast Christmas Concert — 7.30pm GMT
Belshazzar’s Feast on Zoom
Join Belshazzar’s Feast (Paul Sartin and Paul Hutchinson) for a festive extravaganza like no other! Their Christmas shows are always really popular, and this year you can tune in from home. You can also catch them on Christmas Day — scroll down for details.
Tickets £15 plus booking fee
A Christmas Carol in Concert: Live Online — 7.30pm GMT
GreenMatthews on Zoom
Join GreenMatthews and special guest Jude Rees as they bring you their retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, using new lyrics set to traditional English folk tunes and carol melodies. There will be a Q&A after the show, and the show can also be watched again on Vimeo until 31 December.
Tickets £12, with the option to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: More Music, Morecambe — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with More Music, Morecambe
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle continue their virtual tour of the UK with an online concert in partnership with More Music in Morecambe.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and venue.
Furness Tradition Winter Gathering — 8pm GMT
Furness Tradition
Featuring a variety of live and pre-recorded performances, including harmony singing, storytelling, Appalachian flatfooting and a Mummers play!
Free to attend
TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER
Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer’s Christmas Carol Concert — 7.30pm GMT
Gig hosted on Zoom
Join Vicki Swan and Jonny Dyer as they sing their favourite Christmas Carols! They’ll even provide a song sheet so you can join in from home.
Tickets £8 single, £12 household
The Young’Uns YTV: Episode 5 — 8pm GMT — POSTPONED to 31 December
The Young’Uns on YouTube / Facebook
This is the last of the five planned episodes of YTV from The Young’Uns — a series that has been hugely entertaining and kept many of us smiling through these difficult months. Heartwarming, witty and brilliant. Not to be missed!
No ticket required, but donations gratefully received via their website. Donate £50 to get a jingle of your very own created during the show.
Christmas Concert with Jackie Oates and John Spiers — 8pm GMT
Video provided by private link, tickets via WeGotTickets
Join Jackie Oates and John Spiers from Jackie's living room in Wallingford, as they perform newly arranged traditional Christmas songs and tunes, interspersed with interviews and chat filmed around John’s home village of Wootton. The video is available to view for a month.
Tickets £8 standard, £12 for a couple and £20 for a family, including booking fee
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: Moving On Music, Belfast — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with Moving On Music, Belfast
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle head (virtually) to Moving On Music in Belfast.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and venue.
WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook Volume 2 — 7pm GMT
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook on MyPlayer
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook is a much-loved festive favourite, and luckily it’s still going ahead this year in virtual form! Two one-hour shows have been recorded, with the first going out on Saturday 19th and the second on Wednesday 23rd December. You can watch as many times as you like until 27th December, so there’s flexibility to tune in whenever suits you. Featuring Phil Cunningham, Karen Matheson, Eddi Reader, Kris Drever, John McCusker, Ian Carr and Kevin McGuire.
Tickets £15 each for Volumes 1 & 2, or £25 for both concerts
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: Celticfolk, Dorset — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with Celticfolk, Dorset
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle take their virtual UK tour to Celticfolk in Dorset.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and venue.
CHRISTMAS EVE
A Winter Union Christmas Eve Broadcast — 6pm GMT
A Winter Union on Facebook and YouTube
A Winter Union’s recent concert at Storey's Field Centre in Cambridge was professionally recorded and filmed, and now they’re sharing it as a festive treat! It will premiere on Christmas Eve at 6pm, with members of A Winter Union being online during the premiere to answer any questions. The show will be available to view until the end of the day on 28th December.
Free to attend, but donations encouraged via PayPal
Christmas Eve Carols at The Cumberland Arms — 6pm GMT
The Cumberland Arms
The Cumberland Arms in Byker, Newcastle Upon Tyne is a pub usually filled with folk sessions or concerts most nights of the week; and crowding into the room above the pub to sing Christmas carols together is an annual North East festive tradition. This year, the tradition continues with a virtual version, so wherever you’re based you can join in from home.
Free to attend, donations to the venue encouraged
Winterfolk at Home with the O’Hooley-Tidows — 8pm GMT
O’Hooley and Tidow on YouTube
With their usual Winterfolk tour unable to go ahead this year, Belinda and Heidi have welcomed us round their place! Enjoy music by the fireside from their little cottage near the Colne Valley in West Yorkshire (a location referenced in their songs!) They might even treat us to some music from their beer cellar, although sadly you’ll have to provide your own beer.
Free to attend, but donations encouraged. Money raised will support Belinda, Heidi and their little one, Flynn, as well as their local food bank - donate here.
Bwncath, Plu and Gwilym Bowen Rhys — 8pm GMT
Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau on Facebook
Get an early Christmas present from Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau this Christmas Eve, with festive music from Bwncath, Plu and Gwilym Bowen Rhys.
Free to view
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: The Met, Bury — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with The Met, Bury
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle’s virtual tour continues, with a concert in partnership with The Met in Bury.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and venue.
Celtic Christmas Eve with Tim Edey — 10pm GMT
Tim Edey on Facebook
What better way to bring in Christmas than with some beautiful music? Join Tim Edey from 10pm until just after midnight for a selection of music from Ireland, Scotland, England and beyond, streamed to you from Perthshire in Scotland.
Tickets £14.99
CHRISTMAS DAY
Belshazzar’s Feast and The Sound of Music (charity concert) — 3pm GMT
Belshazzar’s Feast on Zoom
Join Belshazzar’s Feast for a 45-minute concert themed around The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews will be played by Paul Sartin, whilst the Von Trapp cockney rhyming will be covered by Paul Hutchinson. That’s something the Queen’s speech certainly doesn’t offer. This concert is being held for charity, and all ticket sales will go towards the NSPCC and their Childline service.
Tickets £10 plus booking fee
BOXING DAY
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: The Tolbooth, Stirling — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with The Tolbooth, Stirling
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle pay a virtual visit to The Tolbooth in Stirling.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and venue.
SUNDAY 27 DECEMBER
Jez Lowe — 8pm GMT
Jez Lowe on Facebook
Join Jez Lowe for a blend of old songs, new songs and festive favourites over on Facebook.
Pay as you feel, with ticket donations encouraged via PayPal
McGoldrick, McCusker & Doyle Christmas at Home: HebCelt Festival — 8pm GMT
Active Events in partnership with HebCelt Festival
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle continue their virtual tour with a visit to HebCelt Festival.
Tickets from £12, with the option to pay more to support the musicians and festival.
Some festive listening…
Royal Parade by Brother Sea. This Christmas single, written by Freya Harbottle, was recorded on a winter’s day in Port Isaac during the UK’s second national lockdown. It’s a beautifully uplifting song about the qualities that make us human, and finding the light amongst the darkness. It’s available to download for £1 on Bandcamp, and proceeds go to Shelter to help the homeless.
You might also like…
The Folk Forecast’s Christmas Gift Guide
A Very Folky Christmas playlist
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The Folk Forecast is created for artists, for audiences and for the UK folk scene. All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you have queries about the events listed, please contact the artists or promoters. If you have any suggestions for inclusion in future newsletters, please email TheFolkForecast@gmail.com. We may not be able to include absolutely everything, but we’re interested in UK folk events with a broad appeal, and would particularly welcome suggestions from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The Folk Forecast is compiled by one person, so please bear with me if I can’t get back to you right away.