Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury Folk Festival pair are celebrating 20 years

This year's Shrewsbury Folk Festival will be the 20th festival organised by husband and wife team Alan and Sandra Surtees.

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When Alan and Sandra decided to hold their first festival in 1997, they were hoping a "couple of hundred" people might turn up.

That August Bank Holiday, they were stunned when 700 people rocked up to a school in Bridgnorth, ready to take a leap of faith and give the untested festival a go.

Fast-forward 20 years and the now Shrewsbury Folk Festival attracts 10 times as many visitors and is a firm fixture in the folk calendar.

The roots of the festival grew after the couple met at Bromyard Folk Festival and decided their then hometown was in desperate need of an injection of folk.

It was a brave decision for a pair of novices, who openly admit their enthusiasm far outweighed their experience at the time. They learnt a multitude of lessons that weekend including some unexpected crisis management.

Alan explained: "That was the weekend Princess Diana died. When we woke up on Sunday morning, we had to make a decision about what to do and pulled dancers off the streets as a mark of respect. It wasn't anything we could have planned for so we just went by instinct.

Musicians giving an impromptu show

"There were other really basic things we found out like the need for radios! Sandra lost half a stone that weekend as she had to walk everywhere to pass on messages. Despite everything, we'd been bitten by the bug though and there was no going back."

Slowly but surely the festival took on a life of its own. Alan originally juggled the role of programmer with his day job. Sandra gave up paid employment to take on the running of the event and the festival gradually took over their lives and home.

The nerve centre of the operation is their home in Worthen and a small back-up team supports the couple. In August that team grows with the arrival of 450 volunteer stewards.

A move to Shrewsbury in 2006 gave the festival space to grow. It's original site was in The Quarry and the following year, it settled at the West Mid Showground.

The festival has plenty for children to do

It now has four music stages including indoor venues. There are the two main stages where the likes of Rosanne Cash, the Levellers and Eliza Carthy will perform this year. But there are smaller and more intimate venues that play host to emerging and traditional artists.

The key for Alan and Sandra is to create a festival they want to go to. "Which is ironic," said Sandra, "as we're usually so busy, we don't get the chance to see anywhere near as much as we'd like to.

"It's a real balancing act and we make sure that if there's something high energy in marquee one, there's a more traditional performer elsewhere.

"But our bottom line is how we can make it the best weekend possible for everyone – not how many people we can cram on to the site."

From morning to night, the programme is packed but equally, there's room to breathe and just relax, thanks to the vast acreage at the showground.

"The site is very special and a key part of creating that unique Shrewsbury feeling," said Alan. "We have the most loyal audience and that spurs us on to hone and perfect the show we put on every year. Ninety five per cent of our festival-goers have been before – it's great they want to come back but it means we have to keep it fresh.

"We've worked with many of our suppliers like sound, lighting and stage teams for years and they all feel as passionate about the festival as we do.

"When KT Tunstall had to pull out a few years ago, backstage was a hive of activity with musicians and everyone trying to find a last minute replacement. That's when the Folk Slam, which now closes the second stage every year, was born as everyone pulled together for us.

One of the festival's many sessions

"And then there's our volunteer stewards who are just phenomenal. It makes you feel very humble when you realise what the festival means to so many people. It truly is a sum of its parts."

In a crowded marketplace, the festival has developed its own feel, inspired by Alan's love of American and Canadian folk, combining traditional English and Gaelic folk with singer songwriters and world music.

Shrewsbury firmly sees itself as a forward thinking festival that embraces change and new technology – it beams footage from the two main stages across the world via a free webcast – maintaining 'the tradition' and celebrating the diversity that Shrewsbury delivers each and every year.

It has invested heavily in creating new music through the Darwin and Cecil Sharp Song Projects. Its latest project, All Together Now, has a focus on a more diverse programme including the preservation of Shropshire folk tunes, working in local schools and bringing more world music to its corner of rural England.

Alan added: "The festival is always the most amazing party but this year it will be extra special as we mark our 20th.

"We are really proud of the world class reputation we have developed over the years but I think many local people still don't realise that a professional festival is here on their doorstep. If they came along, they'd be really impressed, regardless of whether they're into folk or not. It's just a great place to be and relax.

"After all, why travel to festivals like Glastonbury when you've got an event that delivers the same quality – and less mud – on your doorstep!"

Shrewsbury Folk Festival takes place from August 26 – 29. Click here

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