Dacorum Folk Fest ( Hemel Hempstead )

An exciting collaboration between Dacorum Arts Partnership, Folkstock, Dacorum Borough Council, Daria Kulesh's Acoustic Cafe and The Old Town Hall has generated a one day festival with a quality line up on 19th July in the centre of the old part of Hemel Hempstead.
Something of a hidden jewel, the old town is brimming with character and the Old Town Hall is providing a beautiful environment with a theatre for the showcases and a separate area for the sessions and workshops.
It coincides with the reopening ceremony of the redeveloped Old Town High Street and is set to be a popular and exciting day. Starting at 1pm with the opening ceremony, and respected Wicket Brood Morris side, there will be two showcases during the afternoon, in the Theatre – so not weather dependent ! Folkstock are running the first of the two showcases, starting at 1.30 and running til 4.00, with five acts who all won various awards at the Love Folk Live sessions we enjoyed judging back in the dead of winter ! KARA, Laura Victoria, Marina Florance and Ben Smith are being rounded off by Kelly Oliver. Zoe Wren, Kaity Rae and Minnie Birch are all performing at the outside stage from 4.15 – 5.15 to promote the Folkstock Records compilation album Femmes Fatales of Folk, which is being released on that very day.

There are free sessions being held by Emma Scarr ( from Black Scarr ) from 1.45 – 2.45, a dirty blues/ slide session with the afore mentioned Garry Smith and Whiskey Mick from 3 – 4pm, and between 5 and 6 there is an acoustic guitar session led by Ben Smith, a local talent who is gaining new fans wherever he plays. Priority for these free to join sessions will be given to people who have bought tickets for any of the showcases/ concerts being held on the day.

The afternoon showcases continue at 5 – 7pm with another act from Love Folk Live, Garry ‘slide guitar’ Smith, who is being joined by Damian Clarke and award winning singer ( Fatea Magazine Female vocalist of the year 2013 ) Ange Hardy, who develops wonderful sounds and layers her harmonies using an interesting amount of technology to accompany herself on stage.
The evening showcase starts at 8pm and you can enjoy Forbes Moncrieff, Black*Scarr before being treated to a BBC 2 Folk Awards nominated duo, Josienne Clarke and Ben Walker.
This is not about the folk stereotype, this is about the new young breed of musicians who are influenced to warying degrees by folk and traditional music but who are putting their own stamp on it.
Good music, authentic delivery with a contemporary feel - come along - you might be surprised !

For more information visit https://toth.dacorum.gov.uk/festivals