A new grassroots folk festival in Cumbria has been launched.
Cumberlandia will take place from August 16 to August 18, with international performers and a host of homegrown talent.
Held in the the Rivendell festival site, near Workington, the weekend includes headline performances from the North East’s Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening, radical folkies Stick in the Wheel, Balkan dance music from Baghdaddies, new folk supergroup We Are the Monsters, and a cappella favourites Mouthful.
Local performers original include folk rockers Tryckster, acoustic troubadours JP Worsfold and the Band of Gold, vocal group Quickbeam and a host of singer/song-writers and other ensembles including Sing Owt! and Wild Chorus community choirs as well as the long-awaited return of Tim Elvin’s legendary Moss Troopers.
There will be music sessions and open mics throughout the weekend for people to showcase your own creativity, as well as campfire singing and workshops to learn new skills.
Free workshops leading up to the festival will create opportunities to create site art and perform in the inaugural Cumberlandia community musical with local story-teller Jessie McMeekin and the Sing Owt! and Wild Chorus community choirs.
A family-friendly weekend, adult tickets are just £70 for the weekend, with a £20 camping supplement. Tickets for children under 12 are £20; please note that all children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The festival is organised by a small committee of local volunteers, and supported by Cumberland Council’s Community Fund through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund & Rural England Prosperity Fund.
Local musician Dave Camlin, who chairs the committee, said: “Cumberlandia is going to be a very special weekend, showcasing the amazing original talent we have in our little corner of the world, and celebrating with some of the biggest names in folk music.
“It’s more than just a festival, it’s a temporary community for the weekend which will inspire and nourish everyone who joins us, and a warm west Cumbrian welcome is guaranteed.”
