This page is about regular happenings. For the occasional one-off event see the folk festivals and other events page. If you know of something that should be here, but isn't, let me know. For other folk links click here. For a selection of folk festivals click here. Some of these listings are way out of date - that is what happens to sessions. I've put a # against any entries I haven't checked, which at this point (January 10th) will be most.
Harlow: Currently there is no regular stuff in Harlow itself - however on;y about 100 yards outside Harlow proper there ist Eastwick, where from Janary 2004 there are sessions of one sort or another every Tuesday in The Lion.
Harlow Playhouse sometimes books nationally known folk performers, or dabbles in folk related stuff. (Playhouse Box Office number: 01279 431945.)
# Ashwell: Takes place in "The Rose & Crown", Ashwell, Hertfordshire, one of 3 pubs in the village. A small informal session on the first Monday of the month. Similar kind of mixture of tradition and other as Blackmore but varies enormously depending on who comes. Contact: Ian Chandler (01462 743091) (Or if you're a Mudcatter, by PM to IanC)
# Baldock Mad Nanny Folk Club Thursday's , at The Goldcrest Inn, in the High Street. Here is their website.
Blackmore: The Bull is the best pub in a small village. For over 30 year's it's had a Singers Club, which meets in a back room once a month monthly on a Monday evening. Maybe a dozen people singing round the room, take an instrument if you feel like it, or sing unnacompanied. Traditional feeling, but songs can be all sorts. Nominal charge. (01245 265437)
Bishop's Stortford:Stortfolk is a longstanding traditional type club (ie guests, floor singers etc - when it comes to songs anything goes so long as it's a good song), which meets on Thursday nights in the Vestry of All Saint's Church. There are some great guests lined up over the next few months. Details about all these are on their Website (which also has other useful stuff, including useful links, including one back to The Moving Finger - though of course that's not particularely use to you if you're here already). Phone contact: 01279 656664. There is a basic (but extremely good value) bar, which is more than you get in most church vestries.
The Half Moon (at one time called The Tap and Spile, but it has now reverted to its historic name - it still has a good range of good beers) is in the centre of Stortford has a lively and varied session in the bar every other Sunday evening. June 16th, June 30th etc.(For something to do the weeks this isn't on, see Sawbridgeworth.) If you come after 8.30 you'll be lucky if you get a seat near the music. Clap and Smile is the name it goes under for a spin-off occasional club, which makes use of the pub's function room for guest performers. (Contact for Clap and Smile is 01279 658524.) And there's a website. with details of guests.
Also in the Half Moon on alternate Wednesday evenings there is a blues jam session (but that's in the function room and they charge £2). The pub's number is 01279 654978.
And another pub in Stortford, the Black Swan, has just started havoing monthly Open Mikes on a Sunday - I think the first Monday. I haven't been, but they advertise it as being for all kinds of performers, including storytellers.
# Broxbourne:The Civic Hall has a monthly club, on a Thursday, at 8pm, normally with guests. Phone number of the Box Office is 01992 441946.(NB I think these details may be out of date - so check before going.)
Buntingford:The Crown is the pub here. There used to be a singers' night on the first Sunday of the month, it's not going any more.There is still a singing weekend in the pub in November , an annual event for the past few years. Contact: Carol Southwell 01279 726761.
Cambridge: There are two folk clubs here, one on Tuesday (01223 365149) and one on Thursdays (01223 420806). They both meet at the Portland Arms, Milton Road. There is a Cambridge Folk Club Home Page. And of course Cambridge also has The Cambridge Folk Festival and Strawberry Fair.
# Castle Camps
- which is near Haverhill. Sessions -on Mondays
at 8.30 in The Cock, Castle Camps - Mondays at 8:30pm
(Round the Room ~ Sing, Say, Dance or Play - or just listen)
Contact: 01440 730414.
Chapmore End: The Woodman is a great little pub a few miles from Harlow, with a landlord who's keen on folk music. There's been a session therer for years, and it's recently been revived, once a month, generally on a Wednesday. on a Subnday.
Eastwick Starting January 2004 there's an increased folkish presence in The Lion, Eastwick (just off the A414 on the North edge of Harlow) - the landlord has actually got the icence changed to allow it, so were all legal. The "Harlow Folk Club" evening, is set for the second Tuesday of every month , tunes and songs Bob Williams, Derek Brown, and me and all comers. On the first and thirdAnd on the third Tuesdays there's a more Old Timey/bluegrass/country session), withnthe Harlow String Band in the chair. And on thebthird Tueday there shoudl be a blues session, or something like that. A very nice pub.
# Felsted Third Monday of month, session in The Compasses, Littley Green, Felsted
# Hale End: The long standing Hale End Folk Club has closed down, See Walthamstow.
Hertford : The White Horse in Castle Street. Third Sunday of the month afternoon session upstairs in the warren of family rooms, say 2pm till 4.30. Lots of tunes, and a fair smattering of songs and the occasional poem, in a smoke-free zone, with room for children. Contact: Alan Muhr 01992 587753 or amuhr@tarrc.co.u
#And also in Hertford on Monday there's a mostly song session on Mondays, but I've got to check th details.
High Wych: The Rising Sun (commonly known as Sid's, from a great landlord, sadly now dead - his son still runs the pub though) is a lovely small pub. Beer straight out of the barrel, no lager on draught, no canned music, and a landlord who likes folk music. There's a small informal session most Sundays when there is nothing on in the White Horse, Hertford, in the darts/family room, from about 1pm till 3.30 or so. Contact: Derek, 01279 863865.
Hitchin: There are two venues I'm aware of. One is #a monthly session at the Greyhound, St Ippollitt's, normally on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Contact: Barry Goodman 01462 45681 (and he's a great caller for dances as well.) The second is Hitchin Folk Club, every week on Sunday nights in the Sun Hotel. Details on their website.
Letchworth: Mad Nanny has mived to Baldock(email is alan@questor-cp.demon.co.uk) (Or try website, which has all sorts of useful folk links.)
#Moreton: Session on Friday nights in The White Hart - which mentions the music on its website.
#Much Hadham: New session (more of a singaround and tuneround) at The Prince of Wales, every four weeks on a Sunday - idea is not to clash with Half Moon, in Stortford. (Not really Much Hadham, more Perry Green really, or Green Tye. You'll find it if you try though. Very pleasant pub.)
#Ongar: Session in The Royal Oak every other Tuesday (same weeks as the Bell in Sawbridgeworth has its sessions.
Romford: Wednesdays at 8.15 in The Sun, London Road - ring Monnie at 01277 373471 for more details.
#Saint Albans Thursdays from around 9pm.Rose and Crown, St Michael's Street. Contact: Alison Macfarlane Tel 01727 852111
#Sawbridgeworth: Session on alternate Mondays in The Bell - this is supposed to be on the weekends when the Half Moon is not on the preceding Sunday etc Hosted by members of local band Neck of the Wood, who can be contacted for details.
Also in Sawbridgeworth, session on second Wednesday of month in #The Good Intent (used to be in the George IV on first Wednesdays).
#Stansted Mountfitchet: I believe the monthly bluegrass session in The Cock on Sunday evening is back once more.
#Steeple Morden: Waggon and Horses, Steeple Morden, Cambs (off A505 Royston/Baldock). #Alternate Sunday lunchtime 1.0-3.0pm Singers/musicians welcome. Contact: Alan Collins 01763 852446.
#Terling First Friday, session in Rayleigh Arms, Terling.
Waltham Abbey: Every Monday night - basically a singers club, like Blackmore, but with occasional guests. At the British Legion Club in Sewardstone Road . Contact: 01992 716121, 01992 714984.
#Walthamstow Old Rose & Crown Folk Club, Hoe St, Walthamstow, London E17 Thursday nights. See website. (And here is Kevin Sheils site.)
#Widford: Fortnightly on alternate Thursdays at The Green Man (This is a pub that closed for a while, and I thought we'd lost it as a pub, the way we did the lamented Green Man in Magdalen Laver, which is now just some rich bloke's residence. But it's back and looking good.)
#Whittlesford: The Red Lion Hotel, Whittlesford, Cambs (1 mile east on A505 of Duxford junction of M11) Friday night open stage/round the room. Musicians/singers welcome. 8-11pm. Lovely old pub. Contact: Alan Collins 01763 852446.
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