Scottish fiddle and harp duo Chris Stout and Catriona McKay wowed a packed concert at the National Folk Festival on Friday. Photos: Ian Bushnell.
The National Folk Festival is looking forward to being back in the black with strong tickets sales, a tight budget and glorious autumn weather greeting music lovers from across the country.
The festival got under way proper on Good Friday at Exhibition Park with a full day’s events after Thursday night’s opening concert.
Boosted by federal and ACT government support combined with reined in costs and a more compact footprint this year, festival organisers are confident that the annual Easter event will be on a more sustainable footing after a poor financial outcome in 2024.
Confident enough to throw open ticket sales for next year’s 60th anniversary event on Friday morning.
Festival Director Anne Denzer said on Thursday night that ticket sales for the 2025 event had already surpassed last year’s total, and with walk-ups over the weekend a good result was expected.
Festival-goers won’t notice too much different but there are two fewer main stages with the Fitzroy, slated for refurbishment, not in use and the Scrumpy converted to the Flute and Fiddle.
But there is also in service the intimate Sam’s Caravan and the Family Marquee near the northern entrance.
The popular food and market stalls are back, with a variety of world cuisine on offer and some unique shopping opportunities to mark the festival experience
The artistic directors have done a lot of work to build up the participation side of the festival with dances and balls every night, and workshops of all kinds from dance to singing and instrument playing and making.
There has also been strong focus on kids’ activities, from art and craft to music workshops, to nurture coming generations of folk music lovers.
A strong international contingent supporting home-grown talent ensures that festival-goers will find something across the festival to pique their interest.
Headliners are Ruth Moody and David Francey from Canada; Australia’s Josh Pike, John Flanagan, Daisy Kilbourne and the Stiff Gins; Daoiri Farrell from Ireland; and Scottish fiddle and harp duo Chris Stout and Catriona McKay.
But festival-goers also need to check the blackboard at the Bohemia for unheralded artists such as songstress Abby May, who delighted a Friday morning audience.
The main problem at the festival is finding the time to catch all the acts and participate in all the workshops you would like to across the weekend.
In fact, a workshop may include one of the artists seen on stage such as Moody and Flanagan who are working with the Festival Choir, and Farrell who can teach you all about Irish bouzouki and song.
This continues a strong tradition of artists not just sticking to their shows but giving back to keep folk growing and renewing itself.
A highlight of the opening concert was the naming of Australian folk royalty Bob and Margaret Fagan, who met at the ANU 56 years ago and are still making music, as the winners of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Fagans’ son James, who performs with his partner Nancy Kerr, and daughter Kate are also artists in their own right, and the whole family have performed together.
The festival continues across the weekend, concluding on Monday night with a finale that will include the Festival Choir and selected artists.
To learn more visit the festival website.
