Wimborne Minster Folk Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wimborne Minster Folk Festival |
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Alton Morris at Wimborne Folk Festival 2011
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| Genre | Folk music, folk dance |
| Frequency | Annually in June |
| Location(s) | Wimborne Minster, England |
| Inaugurated | 1979/1982 |
| Attendance | Up to 70,000 |
The Wimborne Minster Folk Festival is a big yearly event held in the town of Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. It's famous for its traditional English folk music and dance.
The festival started a long time ago, in 1979 or 1982, as a simple one-day event. It quickly grew into a weekend-long celebration. It takes place every year in June, from Friday to Sunday. It's one of the largest gatherings of dance teams and musicians in the south of England. Up to 70,000 people come to enjoy the fun!
During the festival, some streets near the old Wimborne Minster church are closed off. There are lots of things to see and do, like concerts, ceilidhs (traditional group dances), workshops where you can learn new things, dance shows, street markets, and special areas for families.
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A New Beginning
In 2012, the people who had organized the festival for over 30 years decided to retire. It looked like the festival might stop. But a small group of volunteers stepped up in September 2012 to keep it going!
They changed the name to the Wimborne Minster Folk Festival. Thanks to their hard work, the festival has continued to be a huge success every year. It keeps the amazing tradition alive for everyone to enjoy.
Growing and Changing
In 2017, the festival got new leaders who helped it grow even more. They added new things, like a night of music and comedy to kick off the event.
By 2018, over 60 dance teams were performing. Around 70,000 people visited Wimborne for the festival that year. The festival keeps getting bigger and better. This is all thanks to volunteers, local businesses, and the people who come to watch.
Festival Challenges
The COVID-19 Pandemic
The festival planned for 2020 could not happen. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it unsafe for large groups to gather.
Instead of the festival, the organizers helped the community. They used the festival's café at the Allendale Community Centre. It became a "Food Facility" and provided meals for people who were struggling. This included those who had to self-isolate or couldn't work during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
They even tried to reschedule the 2020 festival for August. But it had to be cancelled again to keep everyone safe. Still, the café hosted small, safe music events with local musicians. This kept the festival spirit alive!
In June 2021, when the festival would normally happen, they held an online event. Local performers shared their music over two nights.
Looking Ahead
The festival is set to return in 2022! It will be an even bigger event to celebrate its 40th anniversary. They are also adding art to the festival, joining comedy (which was added in 2019). This means even more fun things for people to experience.
History of the Festival
- 1979 – A one-day event called "Wimborne Country Festival" took place on August 18.
- 1980/81 – No events were held during these years.
- 1982 – The "Wimborne Country Folk Festival" was held from June 11 to 13. Many people consider this the official start.
- Since 1982, the festival has taken place every single year.
- 2010 – The festival was held from June 11 to 13. It had 45 dance groups and about 20,000 visitors.
- 2019 – The festival took place from June 6 to 9.
- 2020 – The festival was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
