Hi girls and boys and others. Last weekend, the UK August bank holiday, I made what has become a pilgrimage to Shrewsbury to attend the 2023 folk festival. Drove overnight to arrive early and get a better choice of camping spot.
The folk festival name might conjure an image of an old gent wailing some ancient lament over the strains of a squeezebox, but "folk" is more than that as many will know, and Shrewsbury spreads a very broad table of entertainment and pastimes. This year one could join a dulcimer workshop, sit in the beertent enjoying on of many brews and watching someone flatfooting to live Appalachian beats, go watch live gigs at 3 stages afternoon and evenings, learn clog and ceilidh and that's just a fraction of it. You might have heard of Billy Bragg? Capercaillie? I was hopping at the front to the Red Hot Chili Pipers - yeah, not a typo.

Anyways, why post it here? Well, someone who might come across as oddly gendered wouldn't raise an eyebrow there. Maybe a smile though, attendees are a lovely bunch. There was a female married couple in the tent behind mine and the first afternoon gig I watched was O'Hooley and Tidow, known locally for the theme to "Gentleman Jack" on tv.
Dress code? There isn't one, unless it's "start at hippie then go for it". Seriously, the morris teams wander the site in costume: Goth Morris? There are beards and floaty skirts and I haven't seen the two combined yet, but it wouldn't surprise me.
I hope one or two of you will go next year, tickets are on sale online (bought mine!) and we could meet, or not, up to you.
There are 2022 videos still up on Youtube, 2023 will be up, and here's a taster: Shrewsbury 23 Check a few of them.