Review of South Zeal Dartmoor Folk Festival 2024
One of the regrets of my life is that for for twenty years I didn't attend the Dartmoor Folk Festival, which happens immediately after Sidmouth Folk Week. Many people tried to tell me what I was missing - but for most of that period I concentrated on Sidmouth Folk Week - and in the early days (my younger days!) I attended dances and dance workshops for 60 hours during the week, including the LNEs.
More recently, Sidmouth has held fewer attractions - the LNE, for example, became insufferably loud over ten years ago and folk dancing suffered a steep decline with the loss of venues and dancers. In recent years it has recovered - but the latest problem is the imposition of 'gender free' dance calling which does not suit many folk dances, and is disliked by many attendees. More of that elsewhere on my folk dance pages.
For anyone who has never attended Dartmoor Folk Festival - here are a few notes. The overall feeling of the festival is one of a village event where everything just works. There are no security guards, entrance is by donation, lots of local people help with the infrastructure and events, and it is a world away from the regimented and closely controlled commercial festivals. As at Towersey, (sadly, in its last year in 2024?) there is little or no litter and it is very family and child-friendly. There is a lot of emphasis on step dancing - and on keeping local traditions alive.
A review of some of the artists and step dance winners for 2024 is provided on Nina Hansell's Facebook pages.
CAMPSITE.
The campsite is superb - now under new management and with a very helpful attitude. Dogs are allowed on the campsite but NOT on the main festival site - this is a rule imposed by the village not by the festival organisers. Waterproof shoes are recommended - the grass can be long and also wet. There are good toilet facilities at the top of the campsite, and showers can be obtained on the main festival site for £1.
This is a map I did for some friends who were visiting for the first time. From the A30 take the A382 for a short distance. This brings you to the green route. H is a distinctive row of modern white rendered houses by the side of the road. Turn right there - it should be signed FOLK. The campsite and parking is denoted by P. Do not follow a sat-nav down the tiny road marked with two red crosses. I once did this - I was lucky to get out alive. Going down Shelly Road (signed post office and car park) takes you through the congestion of the village - so don't. The small village car park will be closed.
SCHOOL HALL DANCES
The school hall provides a small(ish) but adequate dance space for the late night ceilidhs on Friday and Saturday - I do wish they would hold a dance on the Sunday night too! Maybe a more formal folk dance with more complicated dances? Car parking at the school is for bands and callers only.
VICTORY HALL CONCERTS.
Very well liked and well attended - I don't attend concerts myself - I doubt I could sit still for that long!
CAR PARKING.
FREE and on a good site adjacent to the campsite, only a short walk either down the field or (if the field is wet) along roads into town. The latter route is slightly longer. Do not try to park your car around the village. Even if you do find a space (which is unlikely) you'll probably just annoy some of the locals. Waterproof shoes are recommended. Give the festival a donation in return for your free car parking.
VILLAGE SHOP
This used to be hugely popular during the folk weekend - but sadly it closed down shortly after the folk event in 2023. The owners apparently tried to sell it a a going concern and are now converting it into a home for sale. There is a thriving shop in nearby Sticklepath, but that is nearly a mile away.
SESSIONS IN KINGS ARMS PUB.
Normally I rarely attend more than a few minutes of pub 'sessions' both because as I am not a musician - and as far as I am concerned, dance music is for dancing. In 2023 however there was just room to dance in The Kings Arms, and a delightful woman (from Wales as I recall) agreed to do a few schottisches and a waltz. On the Sunday in 2024 Nina Hansell of PolkaWorks (and Oxford Nags) was one of the musicians. She was amazing. But sadly, there was no room to dance and no-one to dance with. There is apparently a small monthly 'music session' in the Kings Arms.
THE WEATHER - and ferret racing.
South Zeal is on Dartmoor, so you can always expect some rain. In 2024 the weather was dull and misty for much of the time but it brightened up on the Sunday afternoon - so much so that the ferret races had to be abandoned.
I leant this from Terry Moule who brings his ferrets from South Molton every year. I commented that the weather had turned out very well - we had brilliant sunshine for the latter part of Sunday afternoon. Terry gave a me a grim look and said that it was no use to him. Ferrets do not like the heat and when the pipes through which they are supposed to run get too warm, they just refuse to move.
These images are from Facebook posts - a beautiful photograph of South Zeal in 2024 by Nina Hansell (taken from the steps of the Victory Hall, looking down into the village) and two reflections on life from Terry Moule. In all, during the height of summer and during the festival, South Zeal might be everyone's idea of a country idyll. During the winter it can probably feel as bleak as other villages on Dartmoor, many of which I knew from my days as a government scientist investigating high radon levels in houses.
THE DOWNSIDE
The downside to attending a folk event as enjoyable as South Zeal in 2023 or 2024 is that you have to return to normal life - reading about wars, pollution, destruction and politics. As they always used to say about Towersey festival (and it was true in the early days when it was a real village event) "Welcome to another lovelier world".