Free entertainment Sunday, Hope Square, Weymouth Wessex Folk Festival 2008 main stage

Sunday saw the main stage in Weymouth's Hope Square bathed in sunshine again and crowds flocking in to what proved to be a fabulous feast of music and song.

Around midday the performances were started by Celtic Confusion who made a huge impact and started the afternoon off with a bang.


Followed by Triskele, local favourites and certainly favourites of mine too.



Doey's Daughters certainly caught my attention as they did the, by now, huge audience.


Bag of Rats announced their presence with a high energy performance that blended traditional styles with punk, ska and jazz rhythms.


A Minor Fiddle Orchestra filled in between main acts in front of the main stage. This local band of youngsters formed and taught by Kate Carpenter to play simple tunes such as folk, gave a wonderful account of themselves and are a credit to themselves and to Kate.


Finnian McGurk, a popular regular of the Weymouth pub scene had us eating out of his hand with his blend of humour and music that transferred well to the big stage.


Three Tuns o' Grass set the open stage alight with their high octane bluegrass music performance.



Stompin' Dave Allen got a huge round of applause for his energetic flat footing dancing, playing and singing - all at the same time.


Finally, to round off a memorable day, the local band Jigsaw grabbed hold of the attention of a packed Hope Square, lifted them out of their seats and had them dancing in front of the main stage. Available for functions, I'm told. They rocked!


It had been a day when the sun shined again on Wessex Folk Festival creating a wonderful continental ambience in Hope Square and the crowds supported this excellent local Weymouth festival in their apparent thousands.


As I happily headed off for the survivors pub sessions in the Kings Arms and the Sailors Return, I made a solemn promise to myself that I would be back next year.

I understand the dates for the Wessex Folk Festival 2009 are 5th, 6th and 7th of June 2009.

See you there :-)

Bye for now

Rob
(Rob Hopcott - online author and Wessex Folk festival fan)

P.S. Were you there? What are your memories? I love to hear about them :-)