Regular Folk Events In Tasmania

Festivals, music, dance, sessions, tuition, places to play, advertising and publicity opportunities, etc

We advise you to check with the venues or organisers of regular events before travelling - sometimes sessions and regular events cease, or miss a week. While we give the latest information we have here, some of it may be out of date!

Folk Dance

There is so much happening for Folk Dancers throughout the state that the information is on a seperate page. Click here to find out information about getting involved in folk dancing, dance bands and instructions for Folk Dancing.

Festivals

Cygnet Folk Festival - second weekend in January each year. Full program details online shortly before each festival. Site includes details of various Tasmanian and other performers who have appeared in previous years, and the new Directory of Tasmanian folk/world/roots music acts.

Celtic Summer School - Music under the Mountains, week between Cygnet and Tamar Folk Festivals each year.

Tamar Valley Festival, Georgetown, third weekend in January each year. Concerts, Dances, Workshops, Children's Activities Contact: info@tamarvalleyfolkfestival.com or write to The Secretary, PO Box 352 George Town, 7253

This years Festival details:

16 - 18 January 2009
Chris Atwell (President) 0407 - 313103

Australian Wooden Boat Festival

Hobart, February every second year.

Rosebery Axemen, Bushmen, Miners Blarney Festival - February/March long-weekend.

St Patrick's Day festival - Westbury - weekend near St Patrick's Day March. Three venues. $1000 traditional Irish music competition.

Mt Roland Folklore Festival

A Cappella Festival, Hobart, since August 2002. Contact singfest@tasmail.com

Fleadh Ceol - weekend of Irish music in December each year, run by the Irish Association of Tasmania.

South - Music

Monday, fortnightly: Union Choir at Unions Tasmania Hobart. We meet every fortnight. All are encouraged, no particular skill at singing is required, just an enthusiasm for singing and union history and solidarity (much needed in these times). Come along and have fun warming up those vocal chords. -- Geoff Francis and Peter Hicks. Phone (03) 6266 3010.

live Folk entertainment at the Lark Distillery, Davey St, about 6pm-8pm.

Session - New Sydney Hotel, Bathurst St. Hobart, 3 - 6pm.

each Wednesday: 'Nobucks' midday break at Wesley Uniting Church 58 Melville St Hobart Folk Music 'Jam' Australian, and old time America, as well as jigs, reels, and waltzes from around the world session from 12noon to 2.00pm each Wednesday.

Every Saturday: 4:00pm to 6:30pm, New Sydney Hotel, Bathurst St, Hobart

Every second Sunday of the month at Brookfield Vineyard, Channel Highway Margate - Dancers' Delight and friends perform celtic and other traditional acoustic music, 4 pm,to 6 pm. A free event.

1st Sunday of the month:Celtic Music Session, lead by Dancer's Delight, 4:00 - 6:30pm, at the Battery Point Hall, Hampden Rd, Battery Point. Dancers, musicians & listeners welcome. Gold coin to cover the cost of the hall hire.

Every Second Friday of the Month: from 8:00pm, mixed session at the Cygnet Supper Room, Cygnet

Every last Saturday of the month: Collected Tassie Tune sessions are at the Magnolia Cafe, 464 Macquarie Street, South Hobart from 1:30 - 3:30pm on the last Saturday of the month.

North - Concerts and sessions

Every Sunday: Celtic session at the Royal Oak, Brisbane St, Launceston 4.30 - 7pm

Third Friday of month: Liffey Music Gathering (folk, blues etc.), at the Old School, Liffey, 8-12pm. Open fire and good music. Bring a log for the fire, and some nosh. BYO. Tea and coffee available. Contact Gay Stewart, 6397 3324 or Beth Sowter, 6397 3427.

Last Tuesday of month: Jazz at the Royal Oak. 14 Brisbane St. 20% off main meals for FFT members. Contact 6331 9653.

Every Sunday: 4:00pm to 7:00pm, Celtic Session at the Royal Oak, Brisbane St, Launceston. Don't forget FFT members get 20% discount on meals at the Royal Oak.

Nominated Sundays: St Helens Coffee Shop, Acoustic venue. Acoustic, but amplification is available. 12-3pm. This venue has become a centre for new singers, new songs, different music, any music. All performers are most welcome, and admission is free. Contact Susie Pike, 6376 0270.

ROOTS MUSIC NIGHT Every 2nd Friday of the Month - from 7.30 pm Westbury RSL
All acoustic tunes, songs, poems & stories - all styles Chalk board concert - Small PA
FREE entry - drinks at the bar
VERY INFORMAL - RUN BY THE PLAYERS
Thanks to the Westbury RSL for their venue support.

Every Monday: "That's All Folk", City Park Radio 103.7 FM, 8-10pm. Launceston's only locally produced folk music program.

Every Sunday in the North West: Ross Cameron and Gray Hodge host a regular radio program called The Celtic Connection - featuring music from the Celtic Nations, ancient and modern on Coastal FM 106.1 every Sunday between 2 and 3pm. Regrettably, the range of the broadcast would not extend east much past Sassafras.

North - Things to learn

Irish Dancing for fitness and fun with Christine Hyland. Second Friday of each month. Sacred Heart school hall off York St, Launceston. Family $5, adult $2, child $1. Contact Bridget Smith, 6326 7977 or ah 6328 1455.

Scottish Bagpipe lessons - Ron Grant, 44 Arthur St, E. Launceston.

Scottish Country Dancing - contact Betty Laverty, 6327 3180.

Scottish Country Dancing - Every second Sunday 3:00 - 5:00pm. St Catherine's Hall, Penquite Rd, Norwood. Families or individuals. Contact Liz, ph. 6393 6080, Elizabeth.McLean@utas.edu.au, Tony Northey, ph. 03 6331 8892 or email bbuckland@tassie.net.au or Melanie Roome, ph. 6333 0423.

Morris Dancing - Longford Morris - Tuesday nights, 7:30pm. New venue in town. If you are interested in learning to dance with sticks, hankies and bells then try this ancient dance form. Contact Steve Dancer, 6343 3480 or Angela Meleisea, 6327 1782.

Launceston School of Bellydance - Are you interested in learning Middle Eastern dance? A great way to keep fit and flexible and have a lot of fun (and admirers). Contact Vicki, 6331 8668 or Mara, 6331 102

Violin maker and bow repairs - Warren Nolan Fordham, 6354 1043.

Launceston Recorder Society - ph Olga Trojan, 6343 3011.

The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Join in the current middle ages. Contacts: Derek Binns 6344 2273, Kim Strong 6326 4256, Paul Harris 6327 1252.

Celtic Southern Cross: PO Box 72, Bracknell Tas 7302 Ph 03 6397 3427. For all your Celtic Music needs: Music books, CDs, Tapes, Videos, Instruments etc. Email music@celt.com.au

Tasmanian artists with CD's available. If you want to be heard nationwide on Radio National, send a copy of your CD and a biography to Doug Spencer, The Planet, ABC Radio National, Box 9994, Perth WA 6848.

Gay Stewart CD Release - "Itchy Fingers" - A collection of Busking Tunes.To purchase ph. 6397 3324

String Powered Productions: CD mastering, digital recording, graphic design, web page design.Bill Myers 0409 - 013459 Email - info@stringpower.com If you know of any other events or changes to the above details, please email updates to folktas@green.net.au or phone 03 6223 8580.

Places for performers to play around Tasmania and elsewhere

Republic Bar & Café 299 Elizabeth St Hobart 6234 6954

New Sydney Hotel Gary Lawrence, 87 Bathurst St Hobart 6234 4516 fax 6236 9965

Moonah Arts Centre: fortnightly series of concerts, 03 6274 0318.

North : Royal Oak Hotel, Brisbane St, Launceston. Bruce Potter 6331 5346

North-East: "Todd's Hall" at St.Marys. Phone: Astrid Hunkeler & Todd Dudley, 6376 1049

North-West : Bridge Hotel, Forth, near Devonport 6428 2239Molly Malone's, 34 Best St.

Devonport 7310 6424 1898McGinty's (Burnie Town House) 139 Wilson St

Burnie 7320, 03 6431 4455 fax 03 6431 1026 (sold recently)

Events Database

If you wish to have your event(s) published on the Tasmanian Government's 'Events Database'submit your entry/entries by: Email: arts.tasmania@arts.tas.gov.au
Fax: 03 6233 8424
Post: Arts Tasmania, 161 Davey Street, HOBART TAS 7000 http://www.tas.gov.au/

If you have recently forwarded information, please let us know of any changes and/or alterations. Remember - there is no charge for this service. Di Spencer

Advertising for Music Performers!!!

If you want to be heard nation-wide on Radio National send a copy of your CD and a bio to :Doug Spencer, The Planet,ABC Radio NationalBox 9994, Perth 6848, W.A

City Park Radio 103.7 FM"That's All Folk"Monday night 8pm - 10pm Launceston's only locally produced folk music programNW events, Ross Cameron and Gray Hodge host a regular radio program called The Celtic Connection -featuring music from the Celtic Nations, ancient and modern on Coastal FM 106.1 every Sunday between 2 and 3pm.

www.indie-cds.com is a website that specialises in Australian folk/world/roots/acoustic music, and will sell your CDs and put a web page up for your band, on a reasonable commission basis. It also offers 10% discount on CD purchases to FFT members (cite your membership number and expiry date when ordering).