Map, Timetables and Programme available in print form (for a donation) on the day around the town.
Expect a day full of music, song, dance, talks, workshops and storytelling from 10.30am.
Events across the whole day time (10.30am-5.00pm) are FREE thanks to the support of Mid Suffolk District Council as part of their Community Development Fund, Stowmarket Town Council and locality budgets.
Watch out for our “Stowmarket on Show” project which takes place within the day spotlighting on a small selection of local town groups/clubs/schools.
Tickets for the John Peel Centre and Royal British Legion evening concerts are on sale now via the John Peel Centre.
Doors open at 7pm for the concerts.
Official Opening – John Peel Centre – 10.15am
Join Cllr Terence Carter, Mayor of Stowmarket and supporter of the East Anglian Traditional Music Trust and Trustees for the official opening. We will be joined with Yr 8 and 9 students from the Dance Club at Stowupland High School with their teacher Naomi Brand and musician Poppy Price-Dowhan who will be showcasing their folk dance routine learned in July after a day of dance with young, East Anglian dancers and musicians Mossy Christian and Megan Wisdom. This educational day was funded by MSDC’s Community Development Fund as part of our project Stowmarket on Show.
Performances and Informal Concerts
The Royal British Legion on Tavern Street and the John Peel Centre are the venues that host Showcase Performances and Informal Concerts:
12.00pm-1.15pm is the first showcase performance in the Royal British Legion – Join Peter & Barbara Snape with Ellen Mitchell
2.00pm-3.15pm showcases Liz Giddings & Roger Digby where they will also be joined by Bill Murray at the Royal British Legion
2.00pm-3.30pm sees Damien Barber joined by a number of his Norfolk Friends for an Informal Concert at the John Peel Centre
4.00pm-5.00pm in the Royal British Legion hosts The Medlars for a showcase performance
Sessions
Our venues for the days’ sessions are The John Peel Centre, The Royal William on Union Street East and 11 Market Place. All welcome! Come and join in or just sit back and enjoy!
10.30am-12.00pm Join George Monger and the 11 Market Place Folk Sessioners for the Welcome Session of the day at the John Peel Centre. All welcome
12.00pm-2.30pm at the Royal William with Michael Sheehy and Alan Block leading a Traditional Irish Music Session. All Welcome
12.30pm-2.30pm Join the Harbour Inn Crowd from Southwold for a session in 11 Market Place. Hosted by Derek Simpson. All Welcome
3.00pm-4.30pm in 11 Market Place is the place to be with Mike Bettison and Dan Quinn. All Welcome
3.00pm-4.30pm in the Royal William is where you’ll find traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic with The Old Timers’ String Band
5.00pm-6.30pm in 11 Market Place is where you’ll find Eammon Andrews, EATMT Trustee, offering a Chance to Sing session. All Welcome
Workshops
With workshops for dance, song and instruments, there’s something for everyone even if you’ve never had a go before! FREE EVENTS
11.00am-12.00pm at St Peter’s Hall is where you can “Have A Go” – there will be an opportunity to have a go at traditional instruments – the melodeon and the concertina and learn to dance a Jig Doll where you’ll be guided by patient musicians Jill Parson, Rita Gallard and Mike Acott.
12.30pm-1.30pm in the John Peel Centre is one for the instrumentalists. Finn Collinson and Archie Churchill-Moss will be teaching a tune and giving some key tips
1.00pm-2.30pm at St Peter’s Hall introduces people to some recent Dulcimer Finds – join Richard Blake, George Monger and Sally Whytehead talking about their new finds and their renovation projects and take the opportunity to “Have a Go” at the Dulcimer – a traditional instrument tuned to a bespoke “East Anglian” requirement
2.30pm-3.30pm at The Parish Church of St Peter’s and St Mary’s is the venue for The Norfolk Broads‘ Harmony Workshop. Learn some of their favourite folk song arrangements in this inclusive workshop featuring rounds, ballads and a few things in between. All voices welcome.
3.00pm-4.00pm at St Peter’s Hall join Poppy Price-Dowhan and Nathan Simms for a Broom Dancing workshop. Brooms provided!
4.00pm-5.00pm Join Kerry Fletcher and Tim Brooks for a workshop on Stepdancing at the John Peel Centre
Talks
Stowmarket Scout Centre is the location for our 4 talks
Katie Howson starts the day here, 11.00am-12.30pm, with a talk on local musician Fred Whiting – A Life in Songs
Phil Lyons gives a talk on A Sailor’s Life from 1.00pm-2.00pm with song illustrations
Mary Humphreys‘ talk 2.30pm-3.30pm is about Lesser Known East Anglian Folk Songs
John Marshall-Potter brings the Talks at the Scout Centre to an end with an illustrated talk which celebrates the second volume of The Larks They Sang Melodious, recorded at The Blaxhall Ship 50 years after the original recording. 4.00pm-5.00pm
Storytelling
Join tellers John Row, Dave Tonge and Chris Richardson for an hour of wonderful tales in Stowmarket Library from 1.00-2.00pm.
For the rest of the day, the three storytellers will be travelling across the town, stopping and telling their tales on the streets and in various venues. Chris and Dave will also be sharing news of a new Storytelling Club starting up in Stowmarket. Do stop and listen!
Dance
Morris, Sword, Molly dancing brings a couple of hundred dancers into Stowmarket – expect vibrant attire, handkerchiefs, swords, bells and sticks! Stepdancing is a very East Anglian tradition – there’s a chance to watch and then learn during day. You can even try your hand (and broom) at Broom Dancing, another old dance tradition…
11.00am-4.00pm We’re excited to welcome 16 dance sides from around the Region of East Anglia offering Morris, Molly and Rapper dancing around the town. You’ll find them on Ipswich Street in the Royal Oak Garden, outside MSDC offices on Ipswich Street, outside Kelly’s Cabs on Ipswich Street, The Market Place, Asda’s Meadow Centre outside Zarkey’s and in the Queen’s Head front garden.
1.00pm-2.00pm in the Market Place showcases another East Anglian Tradition – Stepdancing – a solo form of dance. Come and watch how it’s done and then join us for the workshop at 4.00pm in the John Peel Centre.
3.00pm-4.00pm in St Peter’s Hall is the place to learn how to Broom Dance
4.00pm-5.00pm Join Kerry Fletcher with Tim Brooks in John Peel Centre for a Stepdance Workshop
Busking Spots
Pallet Bar/Fox Yard Buskers will be entertaining in half hour slots during the day:
11.00am – 11.30am Heather Bexon
11.40am – 12.10pm Jack & Molly Bishop
12.20pm – 12.50pm Pete Gosling & Sarah Sloane
1.00pm – 1.30pm Otis Luxton
1.40pm – 2.10pm Sarah Stock
2.20pm – 2.50pm Simon Bentley
3.00pm – 3.30pm Barry O’Brien
3.40pm – 4.10pm Jane Spencer-Rolfe
4.20pm – 4.50pm Lena Jaglowska
5.00pm – 5.30pm Lillith Freeman & Lou Bristow-Bell
EATMT will be having a small stall under the Town Clock during the day on Market Place. We’ll be joined during the day by Storytellers as well as:
10.30am Piper Peter Bentley
1.00pm Stepdance Showcase
Stowmarket on Show
Stowmarket on Show features a selection of local singing groups each promoting their group during the day in St Peter’s and St Mary’s Church from 10.45am-2.15pm. Come and find out what’s going on in your town!
Let’s Sing 10.45am
Stowmarket U3A Singing Group 11.30am
The Big Old Sing 12.15pm
Stowmarket Women’s Song Circle 1.00pm
VivaVoices 1.45pm