WEYMOUTH FOLK FESTIVAL - MAY 9 - MAY 11 2003
       FOLLOWING the success of last year’s festival, Folk By The Sea 2003 brings an even stronger line-up of roots musicians to Weymouth from Friday May 9 to Sunday May 11.
Already confirmed to play in the attractive Dorset town’s Pavilion Theatre are The Oysterband, guitarist and singer Martin Simpson, top West Country band The Yetties, Australian vocalist Mundy Turner, The Twa Sisters from Kentucky, plus world renowned accordionist Alexander Korbakov from Russia. The town’s pubs will also be ringing with the sound of live music throughout the weekend, and over twenty five dance sides from all over the country will be performing in the streets.
The packed three day programme will also include workshops, ceilidhs,
parades, busking and a folk village. For full details of special weekend
tickets, show prices and accommodation, please contact Nicky Jenkins on (01305) 838566.

NEWBURY SPRING FESTIVAL - MAY 10th - MAY 24th
       ACROSS the border in Berkshire, Festival Director Mark Eynon has lined up the most ambitious programme so far for this year’s 25th Newbury Spring Festival. From the commissioned new work by Geoffrey Burgon: “Alleluia Psallat” to the final concert, “Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” the festival is packed with uplifting events.
Music dominates the festival, but there are also talks and readings, family
events, workshops, town walks, art exhibitions and much more. Classical
music concerts add up to a staggering 25 performances, while there are also world music events including an Anoushka Shankar sitar concert, and jazz with six different acts including Cleo Laine and The Back To Basie Orchestra. For more details ring the box office on 01635 522733 or access www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk

WINCHESTER FOLK FESTIVAL - MAY 16th - MAY 18th
       A HOST of folk singers, musicians, dancers and entertainers will descend on the streets of Winchester over the weekend of May 16 - 18 when Winchester Folk Festival takes place.
Among the folk artists appearing in concert are Jez Lowe & The Bad
Pennies, Bob Fox, Carolyn Robson, Southampton folk-rock band Mary Jane, the Carla Hendriks Band and Emily Slade. Dancing in the streets will be an ongoing feature of the festival, with troupes including Berkshire Bedlam Men’s Morris, Hale Cloggies, Hampshire Garland and the Morena Slovak Dance Company.
In addition there will be children’s entertainers on hand to entertain the
kids and a big Craft Fair in the Saxon Suite of Winchester Guildhall. A
season ticket for the whole weekend costs ?20; for more information ring
01962 866490 or access information@winchfolk.org.uk.

HAVANT ARTS FESTIVAL - MAY 17th - MAY 25th
       DANCING in the streets of Waterlooville? Not only dancing, but stiltwalking, unicycling, mime and juggling when Los Latinos Perdidos open Havant’s Arts Festival, “Nine Days In May” on Saturday May 17.
Following the Brazilian festivities in Waterlooville precinct, there are a
range of professional and community events spread over nine days at a variety of venues. Drama presentations include “Lizzie’s Moon”, a Lempen Puppet Theatre production at Havant Arts Centre and John Godber’s cocktail bar comedy “Shakers” at Hayling Island Community Centre.
There is also plenty of live music with concerts by Hampshire Youth Jazz
Orchestra at Cowplain, American blues singer Guy Davis at Havant, powerful female singer Christine Collister at Hayling Island, and the Batala Samba Band at Havant.
Workshops for adults and children, film festivals, storytelling, poetry
sessions, dance classes and art exhibitions ensure that every facet of the
arts is covered right up to the finale on Sunday May 25. To help celebrate the festival the Gallery Cafe Bar at Havant Arts Centre are offering a range of fiery and fiesty dishes and drinks during their “Red
Hot Chilli Week.”
More details of all events are available from the Festival Box Office on
02392 472700.

CHIPPENHAM FOLK FESTIVAL - MAY 23rd - MAY 26th
       THE Chippenham Folk Festival is now in its 32nd successful year. Although it has seen many changes since its beginnings in Lacock all those years ago, the Wiltshire festival still retains its 'village' atmosphere, providing three and a half days packed with song, dance, workshops and dance displays. Over 200 events take place within the town centre, turning the whole town into a giant party. The main ceilidh and concert events take place in the park alongside the river, while practically every pub and venue in the town is used for a vast range of sessions, workshops and smaller concerts and dances.
There is also a full programme of children’s events, a large craft marquee, catering facilities and an open air arena in the park. The high street and historic market square are both pedestrianised, and are used throughout the weekend for busking, street theatre and processions. A huge street fair also takes place on the Monday.
Amongst a host of quality folk artists performing at the three festival
venues are Waterson:Carthy, Shirley Collins, Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies, Nancy Kerr and James Fagan. For more details ring 01249 657190 or have a look at www.chippfolk.co.uk.

SALISBURY FESTIVAL - MAY 23rd - JUNE 8th
       ONE of the highlights of this year’s Salisbury Festival is a Bank Holiday Family Fireworks Fiesta in Cathedral Close on Monday May 25. The family event promises not only a breathtaking blaze of colour in the sky around Salisbury Cathedral, but a feast of music. There will be some sizzling samba, The Brasshoppers will run through a clutch of classics, the Bollywood Brass Band will bring a taste of India, before folk-reggae outfit E2K do their thing.
Drama, dance events, guided walks, art exhibitions and comedy are also on the agenda. Comedy comes on June 1 at Salisbury City Hall when Will Smith, Marcus Brigstocke and Stephen K Amos visit with “Jongleurs On The Road.” Celebrated actor Pete Postlethwaite stars as “Scaramouche Jones” the clown at Salisbury Playhouse from May 23 - 27, while Scotland’s national theatre, Traverse Theatre, follow on with “Outlying Islands” at the same venue. There is a circus theme, too, to “Tiger Lillies Circus” (pictured) at Salisbury City Hall on May 24 & 25. Falsetto-voiced Martyn Jacques leads his bizarre group The Tiger Lillies through some typically decadent songs while aerial dancers, contortionists and jugglers from the continental circus scene perform.
Other musical fare includes a sitar concert with Ravi Shankar and his
daughter Anoushka, amazing Swedish jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek, Asian throat singers Huun Huur Tu and Ensemble Tartit from the Sahara Desert. Standouts amongst the dance shows are performances by Dynamo Theatre of Acrobatic Movement and Alpha Random Dance.
For more information ring the box office on 01722 320333 or see the website www.salisburyfestival.co.uk.

HOMELANDS - MAY 24th The Bowl, Matterley Estate, Winchester
       REINVENTING the festival formula from the ground upwards, Homelands 2003 aims to be the envy of the festival circuit and the delight of 35,000 partygoers.
All-night outdoor partying packed with breaks, beat and bass from the elite of the global music community for those who are up for it. The 18-hour culture clash ignore all music genre boundaries presenting a  diverse line-up which includes 2 Many DJs (Soulwax), De La Soul, Fergie,  Grandmaster Flash, Groove Armada, Judge Jules, JuniorSenior, Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Sasha, The Chemical Brothers and The Streets.
Advance tickets are £49 through the 24-hour Homelands Hotline on 020 73440044; tickets can also be booked online @ www.meanfiddler.com & www.ticketmaster.co.uk