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Family folk festival
Hartlepool
Sing - Make - Listen - Craft - Dance
This year's Family Folk Festival will feature all manner of delights: marvellous music, enchanting theatre performances, whirling fire dancers, roaming troubadours, fantastic creatures, and thrilling tales. You can watch, listen, and join in with music, craft and dance activities each afternoon.
Magic Lantern are back with their beautiful shadow stories. New for this year are Eye of Newt, who bring us two enchanting pieces of family theatre: the hilarious Stone Soup is based on an old folk tale, and simmers with singing bowls and cheeky talking vegetables; Hare & Moon is a beautiful show which takes the form of both a gentle, 5-minute piece of suitcase theatre and a magical, illuminated walkabout performance.
There are even special workshops offered just for families by festival guests, including the amazing poet and musician John Hegley. Best of all, everything is FREE!
The Family Festival Programme is here!!
There will be an extra splash of spooky fun as we celebrate our folk-horror theme! Halloween might just arrive a little early on the Headland...look out for Brimstone the Dragon making mischief: he's the smoke-breathing brother of Eko the Sea Giant, who visited us in 2021- both were created by the delightful Mr Cleaver's Monsters, who are joining us this year. We also have spectacular folk gods and monsters from Ark Kirk, who create such delightful characters for the Chester Summer & Winter Watch Parades. And on Saturday evening, listen for the drums and look for the fire! Mr Fox, who last joined us in 2018, return with their magical, moonlit fire dance.
Puppeteers wanted!
Would you like to perform at the festival? Do you have experience in dance, movement, physical theatre, or even fitness? We're looking for local people to perform as part of Brimstone the Dragon, or one of our amazing folk creatures. You'll be trained by first-class puppeteers and take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Why? Because everybody loves puppets!
Here's what we've got up to so far...
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