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As in previous years, many of the festival events will take place in local pubs and bars with nearly every establishment in the town taking part and nearly all of the events free.

The Old Bridge is once again the heart of the festival with the Festival Office in the foyer and the function room as the main concert venue. This year we will have concerts on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon for which there will be a modest charge of £5 so that we can sell tickets in advance and keep a check on numbers. The Holmfirth Co-op are kindly sponsoring the concerts at this venue.

The guest list for the Picturedrome kicks off with award winners Show of Hands on Friday night and a special double bill on Saturday night with the Rachel McShane Band followed by popular local Latin band Oye Vamos. Tickets (available from the Picturedrome) are needed for these events. Other events will be taking place during the day including a French dance workshop on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon there will be a special tribute concert to Bill Goler, founder member of the Travelling Billberets, who very sadly died recently.

Two brand new venues for 2010 are The Box Office, recently converted from an old print works by Picturedrome owner Peter Carr, which will have concerts on Friday and Saturday nights and the Outdoor Stage, which has been made avaiable with support from The Nook Brewhouse. This will be situated in the raised car park behind the library and will feature performances from a number of artists on Saturday from 1.00 – 6.00 including Harp and a Monkey, Gary Stewart and Stafford Galli.

This year we will be using the top floor of the Market Hall so that the stalls can remain open all weekend. There will be space for an informal musicians’ session on Friday night and of course there will be the ceilidh on Saturday night with The Boat Band. The Family Ceilidh takes place on Sunday afternoon with the Good Egg Band. There will be a licensed bar all weekend.

We will be in the Civic Hall on Saturday lunchtime for the ever popular Schools’ Showcase. Also for the family we have an event outside the Methodist Chapel at Crown Bottom after the School’s Showcase and street entertainment around the town at various times.

The Library will be in use on Saturday for a couple of Story Telling sessions and other events for our young folkies.

We welcome the inclusion of Holmfirth Parish Church this year with a programme of events on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday afternoon some of the areas best young singer/songwriters will be in concert (Alex Quinn, Owen Phillips, Roger Davies and Harry Rowland) followed by a concert in the evening with The Predators. On Sunday there will be a very special service including festival dancers and singers followed by a lunchtime concert with Georgian choir Samzeo and other festival guests.

The inside of the Nook will be available for sessions all the weekend with artists programmed to play outside on Friday and Saturday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

Carniceria will be the location for intimate little get togethers where you can go to learn more about your favourite artists. Those appearing will be Miriam Backhouse, Dave Burland, Rory Ellis and Ray Hearne. There’ll be workshops on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The Postcard will have 'turns' on Friday and Saturday nights and a musicians’ session with Steve Noon on Sunday afternoon. Stamps Bar will be in use for workshops on Saturday and Sunday mornings, singarounds from 1.00 – 11.00 on Saturday and the final Singaround/Folk Club on Sunday afternoon.

Hervey’s will be busy all weekend so let’s pray for good weather! There’ll be bands appearing on Friday and Saturday nights and afternoon gigs from some of the best young (and not so young) talent on Saturday and Sunday.

Smythe’s (formerly Number 11) is the home of Holmfirth’s famous Open Mic and sessions will be running much of the weekend. On Saturday afternoon there will be an opportunity for local young folk to try out their skills in the capable hands of Hamish Currie.

The upstairs room at the White Hart will be the location for concerts on Friday night and Saturday night and the Folk Club on Saturday afternoon. Entrance will be by the door in Daisy Lane. Friday night kicks off with local 12 (I think!) piece string band The String Fellows. Saturday night will be a very special collaboration with Barnsley Folk Club where they will present their guest Wizz Jones with Tom Attah and Richard Kitson in support.

The Y Bar plays host to last year's festival favourites Ottersgear on Friday and local anti-folk heroes Old Man Pie on Saturday.

Les Caveaux will have late night cabaret (well 9.30 onwards!) Trent Burton is not for the sensitive listener but he is hilarious – go along and judge for yourselves and Rory Ellis is a new name to us but has come well recommended all the way from Australia.

Sids Café is staying open on Saturday from 6.00 – 8.00 for a special event celebrating the Spoken Word which will include poetry, story, dialect and anything else deemed appropriate by the MC Ray Bower.

We’ve been invited back to the Cricket Club so we must have done OK last year. This time we will be providing musicians on both nights. String Theory will be hosts on Friday and Gerry McNeice and friends on Saturday. Any other performers will be made very welcome should they choose to call in.

The Elephant and Castle is available all weekend for anyone who wants to go and sing or play and you are quite likely to find George Clarke (aka Tyke on Mudcat) and friends in residence who will be trying again to drink the pub dry – it succeeded last year! The Shoulder of Mutton is also available and some of the festival guests are quite likely to drop in and perform.