Bringing in the May at Richmond’s annual MayFest, celebrating with four days of Music, Dance, Storytelling and fun from Friday 3rd May – Monday 6th May.
Now in its third year, this year’s MayFest has even more to offer with a host of performers, living history in the castle and other children’s entertainment as well as markets with craft and plant stalls.
All events taking place in Richmond Castle are free for residents in DL9, DL10 and DL11 courtesy of English Heritage and there is free music and dance around the town, including the MayFest Mini Folk Fest on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Town Hall.
Tickets are now on sale for the four ticketed musical events, with a good reduction for local residents in the above postcode areas. Accompanied under-18s go free.
Friday evening MayFest kicks off in style with a Retro Night at the Town Hall! Dance the night away to live music from the 50s and 60s with The AB Band, including classic songs by Elvis, The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Cliff Richard, Marvin Gaye, Carl Lee Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and more!
The MayFest Ceilidh is a real Yorkshire treat with the No Lazy Dancing Dance Band on Sunday evening, 7pm at the Town Hall.
Tickets for each of the dance nights are adult £10 and local resident £5.
Expect a groovy mix of folk and world sounds with even a bit of medieval thrown in with Bisarr in concert at St. Agatha’s Church, Easby at 5pm on the Saturday with support from the wonderful Emaline Delapaix.
Bisarr are young duo Nicholas Konradsen and James Noble, who play gorgeous music from the UK, Sweden and the Middle East on an extraordinary range of instruments. Ticket £15 locals £8.
North Yorkshire based Emaline hails from Australia but has now made her home here. Her music is a mixture of gentle, dreamy ballads, dark folk, witchy pop and traditional folk styles from Northern Europe.
The ever popular and talented Richmondshire Choral Society present their 2024 Spring Concert for MayFest, featuring Feel the Spirit composed by John Rutter and Verdi’s Four Sacred Pieces in St. Mary’s Church. Ticket £20, Local £15 and student £5.
Other MayFest performers, professional and amateur, include Circus Skills York, musicians the Ran Tanners, Trouvere, Dante Ferrara, Damian Clarke, the Jolly Wassailers, John Hunter, Ovinos Samba, Sid Bowfin, Newton Aycliffe Pipe Band, story tellers Carmel Page, Jim Grant and Rhoda Fraser, The Silly History Boys, dancers Maypole Movers, Charlotte Jacqueline School of Dance, Rhythm and Shoes dance Academy, clog dancers and morris men and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons the MayFest Mini Folk Festival gets in the mood in the Town Hall. Holding it all together – yes, really! – there is the fabulous Tom Fool.
In Richmond Castle – Saturday and Sunday experience living history with Dawn of Chivalry bringing the thirteenth century to life with battling knights and a fascinating encampment. Do not miss their Archery show!
Full details of the MayFest weekend, programme of activities and how to get tickets can be found at www.richmondmayfest.org
Tickets also available from Richmond Information Centre and King Street Kitchen & Gift, King Steet, Richmond.