Folk Calendar

Today

Born on this day: Pádraig O’Keeffe (1887)

Thu 8 Oct All day
Custom, day 5 of 8

Ballinasloe October Fair

Sets off from Fair Green, Ballinasloe, County Galway
- Fair or wakes
- Animal Customs
Thu 8 Oct All day
Custom, day 1 of 3

Pembroke St Michaelmas Fair

Sets off from Main Street (by the Town Hall), Pembroke, Pembrokeshire
- Fair or wakes
- Michaelmas
Thu 8 Oct 19:30 10:30
Session

Boot Session

The Boot, Calstock, Cornwall

Maintained
Thu 8 Oct 20:30 23:30

Folk club night

Time Bandits at Lymm Folk Club

The Spread Eagle, Lymm, Cheshire
Thu 8 Oct 20:30 23:30

Folk club night

Auka at Crookes Folk Club

The Princess Royal, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Thu 8 Oct 20:30 23:30
Session

Orkney Club Thursday Session

The Orkney Club, Kirkwall, Orkney

Thu 8 Oct 21:30 23:30
Session

Chorlton Folk Club

South West Manchester Cricket Club, Chorlton, Greater Manchester
Thu 8 Oct 21:30 00:30
Session

Black Cat Thursday Session

The Black Cat, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
- Tune
- Irish

Tomorrow

Fri 9 Oct Ballinasloe October Fair day 6 of 8 · All day
Fri 9 Oct Pembroke St Michaelmas Fair day 2 of 3 · All day
Fri 9 Oct Time to be confirmed
Dance

Dawson Hart Charity Barn Dance

Cinque Ports Club, Uckfield, East Sussex

Cancelled Cancelled: the organiser has taken the event down
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 12:00 15:00
Session

Three Kings Lunchtime Session

Three Kings Inn, Hanley Castle, Worcestershire
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 14:00 23:00
Custom, day 1 of 8

Hull Fair

Walton Street Fairground, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
- Fair or wakes
Fri 9 Oct 14:00 16:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Friday Afternoon Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 9 Oct 16:00 23:00
Custom, day 1 of 2

Tewkesbury Mop Fair

Sets off from The Cross, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
Fri 9 Oct 17:30 20:00
Session

Irish Cultural Centre Friday Night Session

Irish Cultural Centre, London, Greater London
Fri 9 Oct 17:30 19:30
Session

Royal Oak Friday Folk Session

Royal Oak, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 9 Oct 18:00 21:00
Session

Seamus’s Friday Session

Seamus’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 9 Oct 18:00 21:00
Session

Dougal’s Friday Session

Dougal’s Pub, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Fri 9 Oct 19:00 23:00
Dance

Charity Ceilidh Barn Dance for Stand Against Violence

Waterside Country Barn, Bradford on Tone, Somerset
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 19:00 22:00
Dance

Ceilidh for Macmillan

Tapyard, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Dartington Morris practice

Dartington Primary School, Totnes, Devon
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Pigsty Morris practice

Kelvin Players Hall, Bristol, Bristol
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:00
Morris Practice

Leek Morris practice

Westwood First School, Leek, Staffordshire
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Bradninch Millers Morris practice

Bradninch Youth Centre West End Hall, Bradninch, Devon

Maintained
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Rachael McShane and the Cartographers at Norwich Folk Club

Christ Church Centre, Norwich, Norfolk
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Ward & Thorne at Pump Acoustic Club

The Village Pump, Trowbridge, Wiltshire
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Session

Rhyl Folk Club Singers’ Night

Ffordd Las Community Centre, Rhyl, Denbighshire
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Morris Practice

Furness Morris practice

Swarthmoor Reading Room, Swarthmoor, Cumbria
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:30
Session

Ballinluig Inn Session

The Ballinluig Inn, Ballinluig, Perth and Kinross
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 22:30
Dance

Harvest Barn Dance

Bradfield Village Hall, Low Bradfield, South Yorkshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 21:45
Dance

Mardles Ceilidh

Costessey Centre, Costessey, Norfolk
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 19:30 22:30
Dance

Woodbridge Dance Folkus

Woodbridge Community Hall, Woodbridge, Suffolk
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 19:40 22:40

Folk club night

Jack Rutter at Second Time Around Folk Club

Royal British Legion Social Club (Haig House), Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Fri 9 Oct 19:45 22:00
Session

Brighton Shape Note Singing (Second Fridays)

West Hill Hall, Brighton, East Sussex
Fri 9 Oct 19:45 21:45
Session

Kelso Folk & Live Music Club Singers’ Night

Cross Keys Hotel (Oak Room), Kelso, Scottish Borders
- Mixed
- Scottish
Fri 9 Oct 19:45 22:45

Folk club night

Jez Lowe at Potteries Folk Club

Fenton Town Hall, Fenton, Staffordshire
Fri 9 Oct 19:45 22:45

Folk club night

Sam Carter at SoundBox Acoustic & Roots

St Mary’s Creative Space, Chester, Cheshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:30
Session

The Old School Session

The Old School, Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Long Melford Folk Club

Cock & Bell, Long Melford, Suffolk
- Mixed
- Round the Room
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Bay Folk Club

The Bay Hotel, Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

An Cruiscin Lan Irish Session

The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Tune
- Irish
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Ye Olde Cross Friday Session

Ye Olde Cross Inn, Ryton, Tyne and Wear
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Fibber McGee’s Irish Session

Fibber McGee’s, Sale Moor, Greater Manchester
- Tune
- Irish
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Bastard English Session

Isis Farmhouse, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Greensleeves Morris Men practice

South Wimbledon Community Centre, London, Greater London
- Cotswold
- The Morris Ring
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Long Man Morris practice

Willingdon Church Hall, Willingdon, East Sussex
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Hook Eagle Morris practice

Elizabeth Hall, Hook, Hampshire
- Border
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Morris Practice

Jockey Morris practice

Highgate Baptist Church, Birmingham, West Midlands
- The Morris Ring
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 21:30
Morris Practice

Ely and Littleport Riot practice

Centre E, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

New Crystal Folk Club

Hill and Cakemore Liberal Club, Halesowen, West Midlands
- Song
- Listeners Welcome
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Bacca Pipes Singers Night

Riddlesden Institute, Keighley, West Yorkshire
- Song
- English
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Lara Gisborne, Cambridge & Walker and Pointy Finger at Cambridge Folk Club

The Golden Hind, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

The Blow-ins at Waveney Folk Club

Gunton Estate Community Hall, Lowestoft, Suffolk
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

George Sansome & Matt Quinn at Northwich Folk Club

The Royal British Legion (Social) Club, Davenham, Cheshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Richard Grainger at The Lake District Folk & Acoustic Club

Staveley Institute, Staveley, Cumbria
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Pete MacCallum and Jonny Hardie at Stonehaven Folk Club

Stonehaven Community Education Centre ‘Outside Hall’, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Ann Lamb & Graham Bell at Bodmin Folk Club

St Petroc’s Parish Centre, Bodmin, Cornwall
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Sally Ironmonger & Brian Carter at The Song Loft

The Beechey Room, The York House Centre, Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Tom McConville at Watford Folk Club

Watford Ex-Services and Social Club, Watford, Hertfordshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

John Graham & Jim Jack with Cy Jack at Stonehouse Folk Club

The Bowling Club, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Folklaw, Sarah Yeo and Carter Dolby at Kontra Roots Club

Earls Barton Working Men’s Club, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

Unicorn Ceilidhs

St Mary’s Church Hall, Baldock, Hertfordshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

London Ceilidh Club at Cecil Sharp House

Cecil Sharp House, London, Greater London
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:30
Dance

A Wee Ceilidh at Small Beer

Small Beer Brewery, London, Greater London
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 20:00 22:15
Dance

Cambridge Contra Dance

St Andrew’s Hall, Chesterton, Cambridgeshire
- Contra
- Dance
Fri 9 Oct 20:15 22:15
Session

Dragon Folk Club

Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Gloucestershire
Fri 9 Oct 20:15 22:15
Session

Oxford Folk Club Open Night

Marston Royal British Legion, Oxford, Oxfordshire
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 20:30 22:30
Session

The Viper Session

The Viper, Ingatestone, Essex
- Mixed
Fri 9 Oct 21:00 23:00
Session

Church Inn Folk and Acoustic Club

Church Inn, Prestwich, Greater Manchester
Fri 9 Oct 21:00 23:30
Session

Fagan’s Friday Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Irish
Fri 9 Oct 21:00 23:00
Session

Malones Friday Trad Session

Malones Irish Bar, Glasgow, City of Glasgow
Fri 9 Oct 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Friday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

Saturday 10 October New moon

Born on this day: John Prine (1946), Kirsty MacColl (1959) and Tom Hughes (1907)

Folklore from the old calendars

Pack Monday and the horn boys Still kept DorsetSherborne's great fair was held on the first Monday after 10 October, with cattle, sheep and horses in the fields and shows, stalls and gingerbread in the town.
A pair of gloves for the new moon Lore and belief NorthumberlandA Newcastle reader told Hone of a custom he called very common and very pleasant.
The New Moon Through Glass Lore and belief SuffolkA Suffolk correspondent of Chambers kept a night school for rough country lads, and one winter evening they caught sight of the new moon through the schoolroom window.
Money Spinners Lore and belief EnglandTo make sure of always having money in your pocket, the 1831 list advised putting in it the small spiders called money spinners, or keeping in your purse a bent coin or one with a hole in it.
Turning Money at the New Moon Lore and belief EnglandA Chelsea reader sent Hone a charm he called well known and almost universal in former days, handed down by grandmothers.
Greeting the New Moon Lore and belief HerefordshireIn notes made about 1678 and printed by Chambers, John Aubrey recorded that Highland women curtsied to the new moon.

Sat 10 Oct Ballinasloe October Fair day 7 of 8 · All day
Sat 10 Oct Pembroke St Michaelmas Fair day 3 of 3 · All day
Sat 10 Oct 12:00 14:00
Session

QOFF, the Queer Open Friendly Folk Session

Jolly Farmers, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Sat 10 Oct 14:00 16:00

Session

Nags Head Sessions

The Nags Head, Scalby, North Yorkshire
Sat 10 Oct Hull Fair day 2 of 8 · 14:00–23:00
Sat 10 Oct 14:00 16:00
Session

Howl at the Moon Saturday Session

Howl at the Moon, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 10 Oct 14:00 18:00
Session

Fagan’s Saturday Afternoon Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Beginners welcome
Sat 10 Oct 14:00 16:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Saturday Afternoon Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 10 Oct 14:00 16:30
Dance

Barn Dance at the Winter Gardens

Winter Gardens Pavilion, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 15:00 18:00
Session

Seamus’s Saturday Session

Seamus’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 10 Oct 15:00 18:00
Session

Dougal’s Saturday Session

Dougal’s Pub, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 10 Oct Tewkesbury Mop Fair day 2 of 2 · 16:00–23:00
Sat 10 Oct 16:00 18:00
Session

Fox Haggerston Saturday Session

The Fox, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 10 Oct 18:30 21:00
Dance

Sandbach Mayoral Charity Fundraising Ceilidh

Sandbach Town Hall, Sandbach, Cheshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 18:30 21:30
Dance

Fundraising Ceilidh Dance and Supper

Sunderland Minster, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:00 21:00
Session

White Hart Singaround

The White Hart, Mickleby, North Yorkshire
- Mixed
- Singaround
Sat 10 Oct 19:00 22:00
Dance

Weston-sub-Edge Ceilidh

Weston-sub-Edge Village Hall, Weston-sub-Edge, Gloucestershire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:00 21:00
Dance

Shaw-cum-Donnington Barn Dance

Shaw-cum-Donnington Village Hall, Donnington, Berkshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:00 22:00
Dance

Abbots Bromley Ceilidh

Abbots Bromley Village Hall, Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct from 19:15
Custom

Heathfield Bonfire

Sets off from Heathfield Community Centre playing fields, East Sussex
Sat 10 Oct 19:15 22:15
Dance

d’Accord

St James Church Hall, Exeter, Devon
- Bal
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:30 21:30
Session

Raveningham Folk Night

Raveningham Centre, Raveningham, Norfolk
- Mixed
Sat 10 Oct 19:30 22:30

Folk club night

Jerry O’Reilly & Rosie Davis at Lewes Saturday Folk Club

Westgate Chapel, Lewes, East Sussex
Sat 10 Oct 19:30 22:30
Dance

PAWSG Barn Dance

Pangbourne Village Hall, Pangbourne, Berkshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:30 22:30
Dance

Harvest Supper and Ceilidh

Stanton Lacy Village Hall, Stanton Lacy, Shropshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 19:30 22:30
Dance

Catfield Ceilidh

Catfield Village Hall, Catfield, Norfolk
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Drover’s Folk Club

St Paul’s RC Church Hall, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire
- Song
- Singaround
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 22:00
Session

Rushwick Folk

Rushwick Village Hall, Rushwick, Worcestershire
- Mixed
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00
Session

Sir Colin Campbell Saturday Session

Sir Colin Campbell, London, Greater London
- Tune
- Irish
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman at North Shropshire Folk

Talbot Theatre, Whitchurch Leisure Centre, Whitchurch, Shropshire
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00

Folk club night

Alan Wood at Raising the Rafters Folk Club

The Saint James Rooms, Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

Oxfolk Ceilidh

Kennington Village Centre, Kennington, Oxfordshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

London Barndance

Cecil Sharp House, London, Greater London
- Contra
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

London Ceilidh Club at Grand Junction

Grand Junction, London, Greater London
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 23:00
Dance

Red Fox Ceilidhs Autumn Ceilidh

Church of the Martyrs, Community Hall, Leicester, Leicestershire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:00 22:30
Dance

The Round Freshers’ Ceilidh

Stoneyard Centre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- Ceilidh
- Dance
Sat 10 Oct 20:30 23:30
Session

Fagan’s Saturday Evening Session

Fagan’s, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Mixed
Sat 10 Oct 21:00 23:00
Session

Sandy Bell’s Saturday Session

Sandy Bell’s, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
Sat 10 Oct 21:30 23:30
Session

Royal Oak Saturday Folk Session

Royal Oak, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

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What’s on: folk sessions, morris, customs and folklore

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Saturday 10 October🌑 New moon

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Saturday 10 October New moon