New for 2013 – Hull Folk Festival is coming to the Hull Marina, Victoria Pier, Humber Street and Old Fruit Market area on August Bank Holiday weekend; 30th & 31st August.

Organised by local marketing and events company Sowden & Sowden on behalf of Hull City Council, it’s a new festival for Hull that will celebrate folk culture, its traditional values and varied styles, from our doorstep and around the world.

Polly Sowden, Director at Sowden & Sowden, explains: “We’ve teamed up with Folk in Hull – the guys that know the folk music scene inside out – to make sure we have the best possible team behind the event. These guys organise music events on a regular basis and have the best contacts in the business, so we hope to attract some big names to perform.

“It’s really exciting to work with the council on such an event and we hope to build it year on year so that it becomes a regular feature on the national folk calendar and one day be as big as Beverley or Whitby Folk Festivals.”

The event will provide a platform for local talent that everyone can get involved in. It’s a festival for the people and it’s open to all, with many events and activities being free. And, it’s the first festival in Hull to have sustainability at its heart.

Dave Gawthorpe from Folk in Hull describes what people can expect: “Every corner you turn you’ll see and hear the sounds of folk music. There’ll be something for everyone to join in with, whether it’s the music, family activities, traditional folk dancing, swinging around the Maypole or trying instrument making and songwriting.

“We’ve joined forces with the key people in the city to develop a festival that has different fringe events that will appeal to the masses, after all, folk music is all about getting involved and being part of it.”

Details of events and music acts will be released over the coming weeks, which will include an array of family activities, live folk sessions in the pubs, a main stage, a busker trail, an open mic warehouse for Hull’s up and coming talent and ticketed events each evening.

Therese Rigg, Events Manager from Hull City Council, commented: “We’re delighted to be working with Sowdens and Folk in Hull – together they have a great team that will be able to develop Hull Folk Festival into a fantastic event for the people of Hull. We’re always looking for new ways to develop our events calendar and cultural offer, particularly as we work toward our bid for the UK City of Culture 2017.”

For regular updates and announcements, follow Hull Folk Festival on Twitter @hullfolk or Facebook /hullfolk