Folk fest reveals third day headliner

Thursday 11th March 2010, 7:16AM GMT.

Generic guitar The organisers of this summer’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival today announced the headline act for the third day of the festival.

The Afro Celt Sound System will be headlining at the festival at the West Mid Showground on August 29.

Organisers today described securing the band as a “real coup” for the festival as the band is playing only a handful of shows in the UK as part of a world tour.

The Afro Celt Sound System fuses modern dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music. The band was formed by Grammy-nominated producer-guitarist Simon Emmerson and is considered a world music supergroup.

The event’s future at the showground was cast into doubt last year following the financial problems which hit the West Midlands Agricultural Society, which owns the lease to the site.

But now the situation has improved and the organisers of the festival say that they are now busy planning for the event which will take place between August 27 and 30.

Other acts performing include Bellowhead, Cara Dillon, Dervish and special guests, Billy Bragg, Michael McGoldrick Big Band, Ade Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds, Drever McCusker Woomble with Heidi Talbot & Boo Hewerdine, Genticorum, Jackie Oates Band and Hans Theessink.

Visitors can take advantage of an “early bird” ticket offer, which ends on April 1.

For details go to www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

View more: Shrewsbury Folk Festival news.