The Auckland Folk Festival is set to return to Kumeu Showgrounds in January with a huge line-up of music and dance including modern & traditional folk, Celtic, Americana and bluegrass, along with kids’ programmes, food stalls and more.
Nashville-based Aucklanders the Tattletale Saints are performing at this year’s festival.
Over 150 performers from Aotearoa and abroad will converge at Auckland’s Kumeu Showgrounds in January for the Auckland Folk Festival.
Headlining the international bill is two-time Grammy Award winner Tim O’Brien, an American bluegrass legend, who’ll be joined by partner Jan Fabricius.
Other international highlights include Canadian folk five-piece Rosier, lively Celtic band Keeva (Ireland/NZ), the unique Pauline Scanlon Band (Ireland), and powerhouse English folk band Faustus.
One of the great Irish folk singers, Andy Irvine will return, twenty years after his last appearance at the Auckland festival.
Local acts include Nashville-based Aucklanders the Tattletale Saints, alt country singer-songwriter Ebony Lamb of Eb & Sparrow fame, and progressive bluegrass quintet You, Me, Everybody.
The 2020 festival features an expanded kids programme, including top Kiwi children’s acts, as well as workshops and activities such as instrument making and performances.
The festival also includes family camping, market and food stalls, and BYO-only alcohol on site.
For festival President, Nigel Robertson, the stage acts are only one aspect of the festival: “There are quiet camping areas, but the real magic often happens as groups of musicians, many who have especially arranged to camp together every year, jam around the camp sites.”
Auckland Folk Festival 2020
Kumeu Showgrounds | January 24-27
- Tim O’Brien & Jan Fabricius (USA)
- Rosier (CAN)
- Andy Irvine (IRE)
- Keeva (IRE/NZ)
- Pauline Scanlon Band (IRE)
- Faustus (UK)
- Scott Cook (CAN)
- Gordie Tentrees (CAN)
- Tattletale Saints (USA/NZ)
- Ebony Lamb (NZ)
- You, Me, Everybody (NZ)
- Ethno Aotearoa (NZ)
- Mark Laurent (NZ)
- AK Samba (NZ)
- Grawlixes (NZ)
- Foxtrots (NZ)
- Cricket Farm (NZ)
- Celtic Ferret (NZ)
- Claudia Robin Gunn (NZ)
- Little Ripples(NZ)
- Rhubarb (NZ)
