Morris and traditional dance are a big part of the Warwick Folk Festival weekend, with teams performing on the festival site and around the town from the kick-off of the festival on Thursday through to late on Sunday evening. Expect a mix of styles, from Cotswold and Border morris to North West, rapper, clog and other traditional dance forms, all performed with live music and plenty of character. This year we’re welcoming 17 teams to Warwick. You’ll find them at programmed dance spots through the weekend, in the Saturday procession, at spots during the evening ceilidhs and in workshops for anyone who’d like to have a go.
Programme
Friday
17:30 – 18:30:
Dance Display W/
Plum Jerkum Border Morris; Tyler's Men; Tower Ravens Rapper; Gog Magog Molly; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris
Jester Stage
20:00 – 22:00:
Outdoor Dance Display W/
Earlsdon Morris
Market Place – Open-Air Stage
22:00 – 22:15:
Ceilidh Spot W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Ted Crum Dance Stage
Saturday
10:00 – 11:00:
Workshop W/
Tyler's Men
Ted Crum Dance Stage
10:15 – 11:30:
Dance Display W/
Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Red Hat Rapper; Hereburgh Morris; Fool's Gambit Morris; Tower Ravens Rapper
Jester Stage
10:45 – 11:45:
Dance Display W/
Moulton Morris Men; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris; Sussex Junction Morris; Domesday Morris
Swan Street
10:45 – 11:45:
Dance Display W/
Earlsdon Morris; Chinewrde Morris; Muddy River Morris; Gog Magog Molly
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
11:30 – 11:45:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Jester Stage
11:30 – 12:30:
Youth Morris Workshop Ages 11-17 W/
Fiona Bradshaw
Ted Crum Dance Stage
12:00 – 13:00:
Dance Display W/
Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris; Domesday Morris
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
12:00 – 13:00:
Dance Display W/
Hereburgh Morris; Newcastle Kingsmen; Chinewrde Morris
Swan Street
13:00 – 13:15:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Warwick Castle
13:15 – 14:15:
Dance Display W/
Fool's Gambit Morris; Earlsdon Morris; Tyler's Men
The Roebuck — 57 Smith St, Warwick CV34 4HU, 01926 494900, theroebuckwarwick.co.uk
13:15 – 14:00:
Dance Display W/
Moulton Morris Men; Sussex Junction Morris; Newcastle Kingsmen
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
13:15 – 14:00:
Dance Display W/
Tower Ravens Rapper; Muddy River Morris; Hereburgh Morris; Gog Magog Molly
Warwick Castle
14:00 – 14:15:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
14:45 – 15:30:
Procession W/
Sussex Junction Morris; Fool's Gambit Morris; Gog Magog Molly; Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Muddy River Morris; Frumptarn Guggenband; Red Hat Rapper; Newcastle Kingsmen; Moulton Morris Men; Tower Ravens Rapper; Tyler's Men; Domesday Morris; Chinewrde Morris; Earlsdon Morris; Hereburgh Morris
Swan Street
15:30 – 16:30:
Dance Display W/
Moulton Morris Men; Tyler's Men; Fool's Gambit Morris; Sussex Junction Morris
Warwick Castle
15:45 – 16:45:
Dance Display W/
Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Domesday Morris; Hereburgh Morris; Red Hat Rapper; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris
Castle Street
16:00 – 16:15:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Jester Stage
16:15 – 17:30:
Dance Display W/
Muddy River Morris; Earlsdon Morris; Tower Ravens Rapper; Chinewrde Morris; Newcastle Kingsmen; Gog Magog Molly
Jester Stage
Sunday
10:00 – 11:15:
Rapper Workshop W/
Newcastle Kingsmen
Ted Crum Dance Stage
10:15 – 11:30:
Dance Display W/
Sussex Junction Morris; Moulton Morris Men; Tower Ravens Rapper; Red Hat Rapper; Gog Magog Molly
Jester Stage
10:30 – 11:30:
Outdoor Morris Workshop W/
Belle D'vain Northwest Morris
Market Place – Open-Air Stage
11:30 – 11:45:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Jester Stage
11:30 – 13:00:
Procession W/
Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Muddy River Morris; Plum Jerkum Border Morris
St Mary's Church — Old Square, Warwick CV34 4RA, 01926 403940, stmaryswarwick.org.uk
11:30 – 12:30:
Youth Morris Workshop Ages 11-17 W/
Fiona Bradshaw
Ted Crum Dance Stage
11:45 – 12:30:
Dance Display W/
Domesday Morris; Earlsdon Morris; Fool's Gambit Morris
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
12:00 – 12:45:
Dance Display W/
Gog Magog Molly; Red Hat Rapper; Newcastle Kingsmen; Tyler's Men
The Old Fourpenny Shop Hotel — 27-29 Crompton St, Warwick CV34 6HJ, 01926 491360, 4pennyhotel.co.uk
12:30 – 12:45:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
13:15 – 14:15:
Dance Display W/
Tower Ravens Rapper; Plum Jerkum Border Morris; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
13:15 – 14:15:
Dance Display W/
Sussex Junction Morris; Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Newcastle Kingsmen; Muddy River Morris
Warwick Castle
13:30 – 14:15:
Dance Display W/
Earlsdon Morris; Moulton Morris Men; Fool's Gambit Morris; Red Hat Rapper; Domesday Morris
Market Place Museum Warwick
14:15 – 14:30:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Warwick Castle
14:30 – 15:30:
Dance Display W/
Moulton Morris Men; Newcastle Kingsmen; Tyler's Men
The Rose & Crown — 30 Market Pl, Warwick CV34 4SH, 01926 411117, roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk
14:30 – 15:15:
Dance Display W/
Sussex Junction Morris; Gog Magog Molly; Muddy River Morris
Market Place Museum Warwick
14:30 – 15:15:
Dance Display W/
Plum Jerkum Border Morris; Domesday Morris; Red Hat Rapper; Tower Ravens Rapper
Warwick Castle
15:00 – 16:00:
Dance Display W/
Earlsdon Morris; Fool's Gambit Morris; Betty Lupton's Ladle Laikers; Belle D'vain Northwest Morris
Jester Stage
16:00 – 17:00:
Dance Display W/
Domesday Morris; Plum Jerkum Border Morris; Gog Magog Molly; Muddy River Morris; Tyler's Men
Jester Stage
17:00 – 17:15:
Dance Display W/
Frumptarn Guggenband
Jester Stage
Where to see the dancing
Thursday and Friday evenings
Dancing starts with a spot at the Thursday evening ceilidh and then with a dance display on the Jester Stage, with several teams appearing during the early evening. Later on Friday, Earlsdon Morris will lead an informal tour around Warwick town centre, stopping at pubs and dancing along the way. Expect strong North West dancing, good tunes and the sort of good humour that makes Earlsdon a festival favourite.
Dance spots through the weekend
All of the booked teams will be dancing during the day on both Saturday and Sunday. There are spots in the town centre including at some of our great sponsors such as The Roebuck, The Chip Shed, Rose & Crown, Thomas Oaken Tea Rooms and the Old Fourpenny Shop Hotel. There are also spots in the morning and late afternoon on the Jester Stage in the Festival Village (conveniently next to the festival bar). Check the programme for exact times or simply keep an eye and an ear out as you move between venues.
Saturday procession
The main procession starts at Swan Street at 14:45 and finishes at Warwick Castle. It’s one of the best chances to see all the teams together as they make their way through town.
Workshops
If you’d like to try dancing yourself, there will be workshops during the weekend. No experience needed – just come along and have a go. There will be workshops on site in the Ted Crum Dance House for ticket holders and a workshop in the Marlet Place which non-ticket holders are also welcome to join.
Ceilidh spots
There will be ceilidh spots from the booked teams every evening from Thursday through to Sunday so a great way to catch the teams while you rest from dancing yourselves. There are details of the ceilidh bands playing this year on the Let’s Dance page.
The Teams
We’re delighted to welcome a wonderfully varied line-up of dance teams to Warwick Folk Festival this year. Alongside much-loved festival regulars and teams returning after a few years away, we’re pleased to welcome performers travelling from further afield, including visitors from the USA.
We’re especially excited to host several teams making their Warwick Folk Festival debut, including a fantastic youth team bringing fresh energy and new faces to the programme. This year’s line-up spans a rich mix of styles, from Cotswold, North West, Border and Molly dancing to rapper, clog and even guggenmusik for full street-party energy. There are more details about each group below.
If your team would like to be booked in future years or you have any suggestions, please send some details and recent videos to morris@warwickfolkfestival.co.uk. We are always keen to see vibrant new teams. We’re proud to support the traditions that have brought morris and dance this far and just as keen to welcome the groups who are pushing them forward.