Oxford Folk Weekend to fill streets with music. What's on and where?

Oxford Folk Weekend is a spectacular feast of live music and dance – and a magnet for many morris sides from across the land.

The event continues until tomorrow evening (Sunday, April 16).

Concerts take place at the Quaker Meeting House, Old Fire Station, The North Wall in Summertown, St Michael’s at the North Gate and out of town at Harwell Village Hall.

Highlights are set to be shows by Milady Clare’s Musicke, Three Acres And A Cow, Emily Portman & Rob Harbron and Merry Hell today, and George Boomsma tomorrow.

Around 30 local artists will also perform at free stages at a festival hub in the Covered Market, Weston Library, the Westgate Library, the Old Fire Station, Pitt Rivers Museum and Blackwell’s Bookshop.

Oxford Folk Weekend. Picture by Jason Warner, Fyrefly Studios (fyreflystudios.com)

Ceilidhs and dance workshops run by the Oxfolk group will take place in the grand surroundings of St Barnabas Church in Jericho, with live music sessions in pubs around the city - and morris dancers from around the country clashing sticks and jangling bells on the streets.

As well as al fresco dancing, Morris expert Mike Heaney will talk about his new book, The Ancient English Morris Dance, at Blackwell’s bookshop.

With this year marking the 100th anniversary of Morris being danced for May morning in the city (with that dawn festival just over a fortnight away, itself), it is a fitting celebration of the tradition’s strong local roots.

For those keen to brush up their skills, or learn a new one, there will be workshops today at the Pitt Rivers Museum where you can take improve your guitar skills, sing in a choir or sing with a shanty crew.

Oxford Folk Weekend. Picture by Jason Warner, Fyrefly Studios (fyreflystudios.com)

Singers have already been raising the rafters at Blackwell’s Norrington Room, joining a festival choir which performed folk song arrangements by the late Oxford folk legend Paul Sartin.

A former member of the folk-rock supergroup Bellowhead, Paul had strong links with the city and had many fans through his other high-energy folk acts - Faustus and Belshazzar’s Feast.

The multi-instrumentalist – best known for his oboe, fiddle, vocals and humorous song introductions – studied music at Magdalen College on a choral scholarship, was a lay clerk at Christ Church Cathedral and a vocal tutor at St Edward's School in Woodstock Road.

He also played at the first and last installments of the Folk Weekend's predecessor - Oxford Folk Festival. Today's session has been hailed as a fitting tribute to a much-missed, and deeply talented artist.

For details of events see folkweekendoxford.co.uk

Oxford Folk Weekend. Picture by Jason Warner, Fyrefly Studios (fyreflystudios.com)

What's on and when:

• Today, Saturday April 15

Concerts

Tots Tunes Family Band – 11:00 - 11:45

@ North Wall Arts Centre

Milady Clare's Musicke – 16:00 - 18:00
@ St Michael at the North Gate

Three Acres And A Cow – 19:00 - 22:00
@ Old Fire Station

Fay Hield & Rob Harbron – 19:30 - 21:30
@ North Wall Arts Centre

Merry Hell – 19:30 - 21:45
@ Harwell Village Hall

Dances

Family and SEN Ceilidh with Family Ceilidh Oxford – 10:15 - 12:00
@ St Barnabas Church

Callers’ Showcase Ceilidh, Callers from the workshop – 14:30 - 15:30
@ St Barnabas Church

Bal with Helen Gentile and Lewis Wood and all musicians – 15:45 - 18:00
@ St Barnabas Church

Ceilidh with Narthen, Caller: Jo Freya and Fi Fraser – 19:00 - 22:00
@ St Barnabas Church

Local Acts

Mark Ashworth – 10:00 - 10:45
@ Westgate Library

Roary Skaista – 11:00 - 11:45
@ Westgate Library

Oli Steadman and Friends – 12:00 - 12:45
@ The Covered Market

Paul Lodge – 12:00 - 12:45
@ Westgate Library

Brimstone – 13:00 - 13:45
@ The Covered Market

Meadowsuite – 13:00 - 13:45
@ Westgate Library

Boot Band – 13:15 - 14:00
@ Pitt Rivers Museum

Stained Glass Blue Grass – 14:00 - 14:45
@ The Covered Market

Strannik – 14:00 - 14:45
@ Westgate Library

Songer's Copse – 14:15 - 15:00
@ Pitt Rivers Museum

Oli Steadman and Friends – 14:30 - 15:15
@ Blackwells

Bone Saddle – 15:00 - 15:45
@ The Covered Market

Trev Williams – 15:00 - 15:45
@ Westgate Library

Mandolirium – 15:15 - 16:00
@ Pitt Rivers Museum

Holy Fools – 15:30 - 16:15
@ Blackwells

Jack Walker and Tom Rogers – 16:00 - 16:45
@ Westgate Library

Stained Glass Blue Grass – 16:00 - 16:45
@ Old Fire Station

Katie Grace Harris – 16:30 - 17:15
@ Blackwells

Rachel Fox and Laura Middleton – 17:00 - 17:45
@ Old Fire Station

Detta Kenzie – 18:00 - 18:45
@ Old Fire Station

Short Drag Roger – 19:15 - 20:00
@ Old Fire Station

Go to the folk weekend website for details of the many pub sessions and morris dancing displays

• Tomorrow, Sunday, April 16

Concerts

Songwriters circle: Corrie Shelley, Anna Renae and Craig Joiner – 14:00 - 16:00
@ Old Fire Station

George Boomsma – 16:00 - 18:00
@ Old Fire Station

Dance

Balfolk with Oxfolk Bal Miniscule – 15:00 - 18:00
@ The Port Mahon

Local Acts

Hex Collective – 12:00 - 12:45
@ Blackwells

Manchoir – 12:00 - 12:45
@ Weston Library

Mandy Woods – 12:00 - 12:45
@ The Covered Market

Colin Pitts – 13:00 - 13:45
@ Weston Library

Elena Piras – 13:00 - 13:45
@ Blackwells

Montmorency – 13:00 - 13:45
@ The Covered Market

Greg Mayston's Folk – 14:00 - 14:45
@ The Covered Market

Jericho Singers – 14:00 - 14:45
@ Weston Library

Three Pressed Men – 14:00 - 14:45
@ Blackwells

Elena Piras – 14:45 - 15:10
@ The Covered Market

May Tumi – 15:00 - 15:45
@ Blackwells

Upper Thames Shanty Crew – 15:00 - 15:45
@ Weston Library

Three Idle Women – 15:15 - 15:50
@ The Covered Market

Paul Scourfield – 16:00 - 16:45
@ Old Fire Station

John and Di Cullen – 17:00 - 17:45
@ Old Fire Station

Colin Pitts – 18:00 - 18:45
@ Old Fire Station

The Skeptics – 19:00 - 19:45
@ Old Fire Station

Holy Fools – 20:00 - 20:45
@ Old Fire Station

Go to the folk weekend website for details of the many pub sessions and morris dancing displays