The Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival takes place in June in Middlewich, Cheshire, England. The festival builds on the town's industrial heritage in which canal boats were used to move coal and other raw materials in the town for the production of salt, and then move the salt out of town, either for use directly, or as a raw material in the manufacture of chemicals such as chlorine and soda ash.
The Middlewich Folk and Boat festival is now firmly established on the folk circuit and it is estimated that 30,000 people visit the town during the festival weekend, along with 400 boats. The festival was originally organised by members of the Middlewich Paddies, and taken over by the local council in 2011 when the original committee were unable to continue with the event. In 2008, the festival was declared among the top three folk festivals in England by Guardian Online.
History
The festival has been held since 1990. It was cancelled in 2001 because of Foot and Mouth disease.
The festival
Since 1990 there has been an annual folk music and (canal) boat festival, which is now highly regarded on the folk circuit with visitors coming into the town from all over the UK. During this festival artists appear at venues throughout the town, whilst Morris Dancing and Craft Stalls also featured. The boating festival centres on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The main venues where people and boats converge are the Big Lock and Kings Lock, public houses next to locks of the same name on the Trent and Mersey canal.
Artistes
2014 (13–15 June)
Ade Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds
The Men They Couldn't Hang
Hat Fitz & Cara
Phillip Henry & Hannah Martin
The Liverpool Shanty Kings
The Peace Artistes
Emma Stevens
Brian McCombe Band
Merry Hell
Moulettes
Headsticks
Allan Yn Y Fan
Niamh Boadle
NE3Folk
Jaipur Kawa Brass Band
Les Barker
Sean Taylor
Simply Soweto Encha
The Driving Force
Pamela Wyn-Shannon
Shamus O'Blivion and the Megadeath Morrismen
Thrill Collins
2013 (14–16 June)
Dick Gaughan
Spiers & Boden
Greg Russell & Ciaran Algar
Seth Lakeman
Mark Radcliffe & Foes
Woody Mann
African Entsha
All Blacked Up Ceilidh Band
Babajack
The Backyard Devils
Blue Horyzon
The Boat Band
Clutching at Straws
Fosbrooks
Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys
Golty Farabeau
Headsticks
Kye Sones
The Liverpool Shanty Kings
Maddocks & Bayes
Moulettes
NE3FOLK
The Peace Artistes
My Sweet Patootie
The Roving Crows
Dan Walsh & Christi Andropolis
The Willows
2012 (15–17 June)
Including
Show of Hands
Mark Radcliffe & the Big Figures
All Blacked Up
Les Barker
Merry Hell
The Toy Hearts
Babajack
Roving Crows
Eddi Reader
Glenn Tilbrook
The BlueYellows
2011 (17–19 June)
Phil Maddocks
Pilgrims' Way
Andy Buckley
Salty Dog
The Tow Path Tipplers
The Crazy Folk Band
Sniggleheap
Acoustak
David Gibb and the Pony Club
Steamhead and the Weavils
Calico Jack
Last Ones Out
The Boat Band
Wearside Jack
Maxine Adelle
Louisa James
The Kane Sisters
Edel Fox
Hayley Strangelove
Dai Thomas
The Middlewich Paddies
With Bob On Our Side
The Generation
No Dinosaurs
Blackfingers
Providence Jug Band
Stan's Magic Foot
Steven Doyle
2010 (18–20 June) - 20th Anniversary Celebration
INCLUDING
Stan's Magic Foot
London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra
Mabon
Little Johnny England
The Lonnie Doneghan Band
Ken Nicol and Phil Cool
Nigel Beck
Queensbury Rules
Show of Hands
Pete Donegan
Tom Palmer
Peter Knight's Gigspanner
2009 (19–21 June)