Folk on the Pier

..."the best gig on the North Sea..." - Dave Pegg

FESTIVAL NEWS - 1st APRIL 2025

Press and Media Release – 1st April 2025

‘Cromer Festival is Celebrating Best Ever Ticket Sales for its 25^th Production’

Despite a certain amount of doom and gloom in some areas of the events industry, Cromer’s ‘Folk on the Pier’ festival is bucking the trend and enjoying the best advance ticket sales ever in the twenty seven years since it first started.

Occupying the usual spot on the second weekend of May, the Pavilion Theatre on Cromer Pier will host another eighteen acoustic-roots and electric folk-rock acts over three days. Though the festival was started twenty-seven years ago, this year will actually see in real terms a twenty-fifth production, given the two years taken out due to the pandemic.

The programme includes performances from English Folk-Rock heavy weights such as Home Service, Merry Hell and a final Cromer performance from the Oysterband as part of their ‘Long Goodbye Tour’ before they retire. There’s also Blues and Americana from Saints and Sinners and Brooks Williams, spellbinding songs and music from newcomer to the event Dorie Jackson, as well as top drawer acoustic performances from the likes of Urban Folk Quartet, Jez Lowe, Bob Fox, Jacqui McShee and Kevin Dempsey, Megson, Huw Williams and the festival’s very own and brand new patron, Richard Digance. East Anglian support acts at the Pavilion Theatre include KEGS, Joe and Mary, Eric Sedge, King’s Gambit and a farewell performance from the Bounty Hounds.

As well as the main action on the pier, there are once again many fringe events around town, organised by 1.3 East, and also a new series of formal concerts and events under the banner of ‘Second Venue’, produced by Cromer Community Centre and starting from the Thursday night with Attila the Stockbroker. Other artists for these shows will include Luke Jackson, Ella Spencer and local acts Rattlebox, North Norfolk Ukeleles and the Browns.

Folk on the Pier runs from 9^th to 11^th May.

Further news and information on all events can be sourced at:

www.folkonthepier.co.uk

www.cromercommunity.co.uk

www.facebook.com/1.3EastCromer

FESTIVAL NEWS - 7th March 2025

This year is seeing the best pre-sales ever. With this in mind there are only ten sets of full weekend passes left now. These will be released and the end of next week Friday 14th March, and sold individually. So it's a last chance if you want to attend all six concerts now as the Friday night is sold out.

FESTIVAL NEWS - 1ST OCTOBER 2024

Folk on The Pier to Celebrate Twenty-Fifth Production in 2025

Cromer’s ever popular music festival Folk On The Pier will be celebrating its twenty-fifth production in the town’s Pavilion Theatre on 9, 10 and 11 May 2025. What started as a toe-in-the-water twenty-seven years ago has grown into one of the UK’s most enduring and popular annual events attracting some of the best known artists on the folk rock music scene.

This year the festival bids a fond farewell to its original patron Ashley Hutchings MBE to welcome Richard Digance in his stead. Ashley, who will be celebrating his 80^th birthday with a big celebratory event in 2025, says. “Richard is the perfect choice to take over as festival patron. I know he loves the event, and he is well loved by the audience. I have been proud to be the festival’s patron over many years and have welcomed the opportunity to introduce some very talented young artists who have graced the stage with me”

Richard is no stranger to the festival having performed many times both at the event and local solo shows. “It's a great honour to be the new patron of Folk On The Pier” he says. “I can boast a BAFTA Nomination and a British Academy of Songwriters Gold Award, plus creating the New Forest Folk Festival and presenting Britain's first commercial radio folk programme on Capital Radio, BUT this new honour in a way is above them all.” After 55 years, I'm finally recognised by the folk scene where I learnt my trade! So, I thank Scott and his team for such an honour”.

Folk on The Pier has always championed a diverse programme of artists. Favourite and oft requested artists include Oysterband, Home Service and Merry Hell who take their place alongside new and different faces. Many of these, including Bounty Hounds. Joe & Mary and Eric Sedge and KEGS are from the local area and East Anglia. Dorie Jackson, King's Gambit, will make their debut appearance on the Pavilion stage along with former Pentangle vocalist Jacqui McShee who will be performing as a duo with guitar maestro Kevin Dempsey. The rest of the line-up features returning artists Saints and Sinners, Brooks Williams, Megson, Huw Williams and the Urban Folk Quartet with the northeast well represented with Bob Fox - Songman from Warhorse, and Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies.