204:
security. The other key figures who developed the festival were Philip Abrams, a professor of sociology who saw it as a social initiative, and George
Scurfield, an author, poet, and politician, whose abilities and sense of adventure and were vital to the establishment of the festival. The 1965 festival was the fruit of a Labour-dominant council in a traditionally conservative area and particularly the endeavours of Paul Rayment. The founding of the Cambridge Folk festival reflects its subsequent diversity when a war hero poet and politician worked with an eminent sociologist and a politically-driven electrician (brought up in a children's home) to bring something together representative of the 1960s zeitgeist in Cambridge. This was then handed over and brought to fruition by Ken Woollard, a local firefighter and socialist political activist, to help organise it.
117:
108:
238:
local folk clubs, who programmed local artists. From 2023, this longstanding practice was discontinued, and the
Festival rebranded the Club Tent as a third stage. There is a small tent called The Hub where young people can practise together or attend workshop sessions. In addition, there is a small marquee in the Flower Garden, which hosts workshops which vary from year to year. Regular fixtures have been the storytelling workshop and, since 2011, the
49:
237:
Most artists perform more than once over the weekend on the different stages: Stage 1, within a large marquee in front of the main
Festival arena; Stage 2, a smaller marquee; a Floor Singers stage at the Coldham's Common camp site; and the Club Tent, hosted up to 2022 on the Festival's behalf by five
203:
Paul
Rayment's initiative, drive, commitment and political skill produced the folk festival. In his role as a councillor, he suggested the festival site of Cherry Hinton, managed the electrics of the first festival and volunteered to stay the night in the marquee for the first festival; there was no
193:
The setting up took about nine months and was developed by Paul
Rayment, Philip Abrams and George Scurfield before Ken Woollard was asked to run the festival. In the 1960s the Rayments, Sharkeys, Scurfields and Woollards were all associated with Cambridge Labour Party and the folk club to greater or
183:(based in part on conversations with Ken Woollard) acknowledges the three councillors and names them on part of the first page that covers the setting up of festival. These key figures responsible for setting up and founding the Cambridge Folk festival are named as Paul Rayment, Philip Abrams and
175:
Ken
Woollard was the first director of the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1965, and continued to work as Festival Organiser and Artistic Director up until his death in 1993. This role was then taken up by Eddie Barcan, who had worked as Ken's assistant from 1990. Eddie Barcan was replaced by Rebecca
200:(1958), the documentary film set at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, and he involved Paul Rayment. Jack Sharkey also had the idea to hold the festival at Cherry Hinton Hall, and his engagement with folk music was instrumental to the original initiative.
242:
workshops run by the band Camus, where festival-goers can try their hand on practice sets of pipes. Elsewhere around the site, local musicians are invited by the festival to provide informal sessions, a regular favourite being the Irish sessions.
215:". The festival's popularity quickly grew. Woollard continued as Festival organiser and artistic director up until his death in 1993. In 2014 the festival celebrated its 50th event, including artists such as
32:
440:. The book features images taken at the festival by Elliott between 2000–2010 and was endorsed by the organisers. It includes quotes from some of the musicians featured in its pages such as
769:
190:
The role of Paul
Rayment (1933–2013) is particularly relevant in the origins and establishment of the Cambridge folk festival (in the context of left wing 1960s political developments).
144:, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix of music and a wide definition of what might be considered folk. It occurs over a long weekend (3½ days) in summer at
223:. Until 2015 it was run by Cambridge City Council. It was briefly run by a charity called Cambridge Live. In 2019 it was once again taken over by Cambridge City Council.
644:
781:
510:
Cambridgeshire
Archives, Entertainment sub-committee minutes, 11 November 1964, 23 December 1964, 3 February 1965, 7 April 1965, 13 April 1965, 3 May 1965
686:
754:
848:
833:
789:
759:
853:
542:
828:
497:
525:
858:
152:, which broadcast it live, with highlights were recorded and shown later and occasionally live on digital television channel
344:
648:
461:
207:
The first festival sold 1400 tickets and almost broke even. Squeezed in as a late addition to the bill was a young
27:
347:
have also all played at
Cambridge in recent years. In celebration of the 50th festival Delphonic Music released a
863:
432:
In 2011, specialist music book publisher Rufus Stone released a limited edition book by rock art photographer
116:
838:
724:
843:
196:
184:
239:
705:
332:
546:
593:
364:
220:
8:
493:
360:
393:
would be a guest curator for the 2019 festival, selecting five artists for the line-up.
107:
522:
383:
145:
133:
618:
168:
Recent histories have obscured the early origins of the folk festival. Ken
Woollard's
324:
172:
mentions three councillors who had an idea for a festival (but does not name them).
645:"New Folk Festival compilation album to be released | Cambridge Folk Festival"
375:
304:
226:
121:
747:
92:
669:
529:
356:
336:
268:
256:
194:
lesser extents. Jack Sharkey had the original idea which may have been linked to
267:. Recent festivals have also seen other important traditional musicians such as
449:
441:
418:
308:
300:
764:
229:
was selected as the second guest curator of the 2018 Cambridge Folk Festival.
822:
804:
791:
379:
348:
328:
252:
137:
23:
469:
465:
445:
433:
422:
406:
320:
316:
296:
284:
280:
276:
260:
251:
Major figures from the folk world have appeared at the festival, including
216:
568:
775:
453:
390:
312:
292:
288:
212:
149:
132:
is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held in the grounds of
414:
410:
272:
208:
62:
426:
371:
352:
340:
264:
141:
72:
457:
157:
153:
532:, Cambridge Folk Festival official site. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
476:, in 2014 as a personal celebration of 50 years of the festival.
170:
1974 Ten years of folk: A history of the Cambridge Folk Festival
48:
283:. Across a wider range of genres have been performances from
687:"Local singer Nick Mulvey to curate Cambridge Folk Festival"
351:
album featuring tracks from 50 different artists, including
765:
BBC Radio 2's coverage of 2009 Cambridge Folk Festival
389:
In 2018, it was announced that Cambridge-born singer
670:"Cambridge Folk Festival Cherry Hinton, Cambridge"
820:
619:"The Northumbrian Piping Workshops | Camus"
776:In depth coverage of past and current festivals
140:, one of the villages subsumed by the city of
543:"Main Stages | Cambridge Folk Festival"
782:Archives – Libraries, leisure & culture
181:Thirty Years of the Cambridge Folk Festival
156:from 2002 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2012 on
16:Annual music festival in Cambridge, England
106:
772:In-depth coverage from the 2007 festival.
760:2010 Cambridge Folk Festival on Sky Arts
115:
722:
821:
518:
516:
500:from the original on 3 September 2019.
569:"Corn Exchange | Cambridge Live"
403:Cool As Folk: Cambridge Folk Festival
120:Scene at the 1985 Festival, with the
849:Recurring events established in 1964
834:Folk festivals in the United Kingdom
676:, 4 August 2015 Rob and Carole Joyce
401:In 2007 a double album was released
345:The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican
232:
854:Music festivals established in 1964
703:
513:
13:
755:History of Cambridge Folk Festival
14:
875:
829:Music festivals in Cambridgeshire
739:
494:"Festival History Cambridge Live"
148:. Until 2008 it was sponsored by
47:
716:
697:
679:
594:"The Hub | Cambridge Live"
859:1964 establishments in England
663:
637:
611:
586:
561:
535:
504:
486:
1:
706:"Sue Marchant's Big Night In"
479:
179:Laing and Newman's 1994 book
7:
725:"Rocking The World of Folk"
704:Sue, Marchant (June 2011).
472:released a follow-up book,
396:
10:
880:
723:Barnard, Emma (May 2015).
405:, with live recordings by
307:. 2006's line up included
246:
163:
87:
79:
68:
58:
46:
41:
805:52.1858583°N 0.1632667°E
438:TEN – A Decade in Images
386:headlined the festival.
240:Northumbrian smallpipes
211:who had just released "
130:Cambridge Folk Festival
42:Cambridge Folk Festival
28:Infobox recurring event
20:
864:Festivals in Cambridge
333:Old Crow Medicine Show
197:Jazz on a Summer's Day
125:
33:considered for merging
810:52.1858583; 0.1632667
691:Cambridge Independent
528:22 March 2015 at the
365:Loudon Wainwright III
119:
770:The Line Of Best Fit
598:Cambridgelive.org.uk
573:Cambridgelive.org.uk
801: /
710:BBC Radio Cambridge
361:Fairport Convention
839:Music in Cambridge
625:. 21 February 2020
325:Mumford & Sons
319:. Artists such as
146:Cherry Hinton Hall
134:Cherry Hinton Hall
126:
651:on 10 August 2014
549:on 10 August 2014
460:radio presenters
429:and many others.
233:Current structure
114:
113:
53:The 2008 festival
871:
844:Summer festivals
816:
815:
813:
812:
811:
806:
802:
799:
798:
797:
794:
751:
750:
748:Official website
733:
732:
720:
714:
713:
701:
695:
694:
683:
677:
667:
661:
660:
658:
656:
647:. Archived from
641:
635:
634:
632:
630:
615:
609:
608:
606:
604:
590:
584:
583:
581:
579:
565:
559:
558:
556:
554:
545:. Archived from
539:
533:
520:
511:
508:
502:
501:
490:
376:Joan Armatrading
227:Rhiannon Giddens
185:George Scurfield
176:Stewart in 2015
122:Battlefield Band
110:
105:
102:
100:
98:
96:
94:
51:
39:
38:
36:
879:
878:
874:
873:
872:
870:
869:
868:
819:
818:
809:
807:
803:
800:
795:
792:
790:
788:
787:
778:, Fatea Records
746:
745:
742:
737:
736:
721:
717:
702:
698:
693:. October 2018.
685:
684:
680:
668:
664:
654:
652:
643:
642:
638:
628:
626:
617:
616:
612:
602:
600:
592:
591:
587:
577:
575:
567:
566:
562:
552:
550:
541:
540:
536:
530:Wayback Machine
521:
514:
509:
505:
492:
491:
487:
482:
399:
357:The Proclaimers
269:Kathryn Tickell
257:Shirley Collins
249:
235:
221:Sinéad O'Connor
166:
91:
54:
37:
21:
17:
12:
11:
5:
877:
867:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
785:
784:
779:
773:
767:
762:
757:
752:
741:
740:External links
738:
735:
734:
715:
696:
678:
662:
636:
623:Camusmusic.net
610:
585:
560:
534:
512:
503:
484:
483:
481:
478:
462:Mark Radcliffe
450:Sharon Shannon
442:Richard Hawley
419:Martin Simpson
398:
395:
309:Emmylou Harris
301:The Mescaleros
248:
245:
234:
231:
165:
162:
112:
111:
101:/folk-festival
95:.cambridgelive
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
70:
66:
65:
60:
56:
55:
52:
44:
43:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
876:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
826:
824:
817:
814:
783:
780:
777:
774:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
749:
744:
743:
730:
726:
719:
711:
707:
700:
692:
688:
682:
675:
671:
666:
650:
646:
640:
624:
620:
614:
599:
595:
589:
574:
570:
564:
548:
544:
538:
531:
527:
524:
519:
517:
507:
499:
495:
489:
485:
477:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
430:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
394:
392:
387:
385:
381:
380:Wilko Johnson
377:
373:
368:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
349:digital audio
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
329:Laura Marling
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
253:Martin Carthy
244:
241:
230:
228:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
205:
201:
199:
198:
191:
188:
186:
182:
177:
173:
171:
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
138:Cherry Hinton
135:
131:
123:
118:
109:
104:
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
61:
57:
50:
45:
40:
34:
30:
29:
25:
19:
793:52°11′9.09″N
786:
728:
718:
709:
699:
690:
681:
673:
665:
653:. Retrieved
649:the original
639:
627:. Retrieved
622:
613:
601:. Retrieved
597:
588:
576:. Retrieved
572:
563:
551:. Retrieved
547:the original
537:
506:
488:
473:
466:Mike Harding
446:Julie Fowlis
437:
434:Nick Elliott
431:
423:Eliza Carthy
402:
400:
388:
369:
321:Frank Turner
317:Seth Lakeman
297:Joe Strummer
285:Judy Collins
281:The Unthanks
277:Eliza Carthy
261:Peggy Seeger
250:
236:
225:
217:Van Morrison
206:
202:
195:
192:
189:
180:
178:
174:
169:
167:
129:
127:
83:1965–present
80:Years active
26:
18:
808: /
796:0°9′47.76″E
729:KL Magazine
456:as well as
454:Cara Dillon
391:Nick Mulvey
313:Cara Dillon
293:Chumbawamba
289:Graham Nash
213:I Am A Rock
150:BBC Radio 2
69:Location(s)
22:‹ The
823:Categories
674:Music News
629:24 October
603:12 January
578:12 January
480:References
415:Beth Orton
411:Kate Rusby
273:Kate Rusby
209:Paul Simon
63:Folk music
436:entitled
427:Joan Baez
384:Passenger
372:Joan Baez
370:In 2015,
353:Joan Baez
341:Jake Bugg
305:Levellers
265:John Tams
142:Cambridge
75:, England
73:Cambridge
31:is being
655:6 August
553:6 August
526:Archived
498:Archived
397:Releases
337:Idlewild
158:Sky Arts
154:BBC Four
124:on stage
35:. ›
24:template
523:History
470:Elliott
247:Artists
164:History
88:Website
474:50Folk
452:, and
382:, and
279:, and
407:Altan
59:Genre
657:2014
631:2021
605:2021
580:2021
555:2014
464:and
363:and
343:and
315:and
303:and
299:and
263:and
219:and
128:The
97:.org
458:BBC
136:in
99:.uk
93:www
825::
727:.
708:.
689:.
672:.
621:.
596:.
571:.
515:^
496:.
468:.
448:,
444:,
425:,
421:,
417:,
413:,
409:,
378:,
374:,
367:.
359:,
355:,
339:,
335:,
331:,
327:,
323:,
311:,
295:,
291:,
287:,
275:,
271:,
259:,
255:,
187:.
160:.
731:.
712:.
659:.
633:.
607:.
582:.
557:.
103:/
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
