Having moved to Suffolk in 1999 and joined a local Morris side, Paul and Justine Salmon soon realised that most of the festivals they visited were in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Kent. They thought it would be good to have a festival in Suffolk and so in 2004 they arranged a day of Morris dancing in Woodbridge.

It was very successful and so they decided to have a stab at something a bit bigger and so 'The Suffolk Folk Festival' was born. It may seem to be a grand title for, what was then, a fairly small event but they gradually began expanding it.

4th - 5th June 2005

On Saturday 4th June we had 20 teams of Morris dancers, Rapper sword, and Appalachian Clog dancing along Woodbridge Thoroughfare, outside the Anchor and on the Quay. The crowds were also entertained with dancing at the Beer Festival on Market Hill. There was a lunchtime concert in the Bell and Steelyard with Kundalini Drive. The weather was relatively kind with a few showers and a couple of heavy downpours which temporarily stopped dancing, but the sun came out again and the dancing continued.

The evening ceilidh with Gordon Potts and Chalktown was a sell out. Sunday the dancing continued, and finished off with mass dancing on the Quay.

2nd - 4th June 2006

The 2006 Festival saw 31 Teams of Morris, Rapper sword and Appalachian Clog dancer sat various locations around Woodbridge. Despite some last minute changes to the programme (for reasons which were beyond our control) There was a beer festival at the Cherry Tree Pub, a couple of folk sessions in pubs and the addition of a concert on the Sunday in Elmhurst Park.

Once again the Ceilidh with Aarkvark was very well attended in the Dome at Woodbridge School, and we managed to provide camping for performers.

We would like to thank everyone who took part - dancers, musicians, and the people of Woodbridge and visitors to the town.

Since these early days, the Festival has continued to flourish and grow with more dancing, more more music and more song each year... and more sunshine - in 2009 and 2010. 

What are your memories of past Suffolk Folk Festivals? Email me and share your own stories.

From these small beginnings, the Suffolk Folk Festival is now the biggest summer gathering of morris, sword and traditional dance sides in the East of England, with concerts, ceilidh, craft fair and workshops planned for 2011.

For more details please contact:

Mike & Jenny Everett
Corner Cottage
2 Lower Street
Ipswich
Suffolk IP8 3AA
Email: mike.r.everett@btinternet.com
Tel: 01473 742334