2009 FESTIVAL FEATURES

Here's a few of the 250 concerts, dances, workshops happening at the 2009 Illawarra Folk Festival.

OPENING BUSH DANCE
Wednesday 8pm - Heritage Hotel
The Bulli Heritage Hotel is the scene for the opening Bush Dance at 8pm Wednesday. It’s probably a long time since the floorboards of the Hotel swayed to the music and feet of Australia’s early settlers form of entertainment. Bring the kids, dancing shoes or an instrument to join the acoustic dance band. All the dances will be called and walked through. Proudly presented by the Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club and Band.
 
LUNCH ITALIAN STYLE
Midday Thursday - Show Pavilion
Enjoy a scrumptious Italian Lunch with some fairly authentic and whannabe Italians in the newly created Festival Grandstand Restaurant. There’ll be pasta, sauce, lotsa panne (bread) and more to fill you tummy. Then enjoy the music of Italy with David De Santi, Zumpa and special guests Kavisha Mazzella and Irine Vela the old songs and tarantellas. A great tradition continues. Tickets available from the Festival Office from 11am on the day.
 
ABORIGINAL WELCOME
7pm Thursday - Slacky Flat Bar
Held at the Thursday Night concert, the welcome will be performed by local aboriginal elder, Vic Chapman. Vic, who was also the first Aboriginal School Principal in NSW, has a special affiliation with the Folk Festival through his late son John who for a number of years was a festival volunteer
 
OPENING CHARITY CONCERT,
Thursday 4pm - Slacky Flat Bar
A rapid-fire concert with over a dozen of the Festival performers ‘struttin’ their stuff’ and displaying just a bit of what’s to come over the three days ahead. Admission for non-season pass holders is just $5 and all door takings go to the Shepherd Centre for the Deaf and APHEDA (Union Aid Abroad) charities. Who knows we may even have a raffle or two?
 
GREAT GUT- BUSTING TRIPE
CONCERT AND DINNER
Thursday 7pm for 7.30pm Grandstand Restaurant
We are the only Festival to hold this great gastronomic and musical event and there are some who would say that that is just as well. A highlight this year will be special guest Terry (The Whale) Fielding who is one of the few people still alive, who is not Japanese, who has eaten Whale’s tripe. Bookings essential for this three-course gourmet treat held in the Restaurant and yes, we do let non-tripe eaters in for a plate of ‘Grey Sludge’. Call Russell 42971777- he’s sure not to be home so just leave a message that you’re coming or if it’s Thursday leave a message at the office. We’ll get your cash off you at the dinner. ($20 with a Festival Ticket, $25 without one).
 
KIDS FOLK
Friday 9.30am - 5pm
Saturday 9.30am - 6pm
Sunday 9.30am- 4.30pm The Shed
The Festival has always prided itself on its childrens’ programme and the quality of its childrens performers. Once again we have a full programme of singing, story-telling instrument making and dancing. This year will be no exception so there’s plenty of activities to keep your kids or grandkids involved.
 
BREAKFAST WITH THE POETS
8am, Friday, Saturday Sunday Show Pavilion
This gives you a chance to air your favourite poem or recite or read your latest composition. It’s a free for all and everyone gets a go. It will of course be led by our Festival Poets Gregory North, Brian Bell, Viv Sawyer and Dave Meyers, Zondrai King, Arch Bishop and Jane Scott.
 
GLOBAL GREEN
The Global Green is the outdoor Piazza style venue and will operate with dancing, choirs and action flavoured events over the three days of the festival. It’s participatory and great to watch while enjoying your food and coffee. If your penchant is for Irish Step Dancing, Belly Dancing, Old Time, Bush Dancing, ango, Indian you’ll find it the at the Global Green.
 
‘CLOSE-UPS’ IN THE HERITAGE HOTEL
Starting at Noon on Friday the Heritage Hotel will be in action over the next three days with 24 concerts. You can catch some of the festival’s finest artists in the intimate surroundings of the Hotel’s Concert Hall. This is the entertainment centre where you don’t have to watch the performers on the big screen. Festival pass for entry is essential.
 
THE CHAPEL
The Chapel is set in the grounds of the Grevillea Gardens and is a mostly acoustic venue. The wooden building itself was the last building to be removed from the township of Sherbrooke which was set on the old coach road from Bulli to Appin. It was subsumed by the Water Board a century ago and the orchards that abounded there were bulldozed. Bring a blanket or a chair to these dusk concerts. The ambience here is simply magic.
 
QUIRKY TUNES
Friday 12 noon - Grandstand Bar
If you fancy yourself as a musicologist then here’s a place to be on Friday. Who quirkier than David desanti himself and he’ll be aided and abetted by his partner in crime, Mark Holder-Keeping and some of his mates who will ensure all the tunes are not played on the accordion.
 
THE LIES THAT MADE AUSTRALIA
Friday 1.30pm - Show Pavilion
Keith McKenry is a poetical jukebox. You throw up the topic and he’ll recite a poem that’s about it- or at least closely related.
 
FILM - DALL ITALIA ALL AUSTRALIA
Thursday 4pm - Show Pavilion
Friday 7pm - Show Pavilion
Saturday 12.30pm - Show Pavilion
This is the famous silent film about Italian migration in the 1920s. It has attracted large audiences wherever it has been shown. Accompanying the film is the music of The Viaggiatori and the introduction of Tony De Bolfo.
 
BLACKBOARD CONCERTS
Friday 3pm - Grandstand Bar, 8pm Nags Lounge Saturday 3.30pm Grandstand Bar, 9.30pm Nag’s Lounge
Here’s a chance to have a go and enjoy some Festival Chai Tea! See Dave Oliphant and the other masters of ceremonies of the Blackboard.
 
YOUTH AT THE FOLKIE
Friday 4pm, Saturday 5.30pm - Nag’s Lounge
15 of our finest young musicians, songwriters and singers will showcase their talents in these great variety concerts. Come along and hear the next generation of folk performers.
 
ALAN SCOTT MEMORIAL AUSTRALIAN TRADITION CONCERT
Friday 6pm - Grandstand Restaurant 
Alan Scott was a great collector and interpreter of Australian traditional songs and was the first person invited to all our festivals until his untimely death. Each year we pull together some of his friends and those who are carrying on his traditions.
 
THE NEOLITHIC TEMPLES OF MALTA
Friday 9.30pm - Show Pavilion
SKORBA perform original music inspired by the Neolithic temples of Malta. They presents a show that is an audio-visual experience, presenting the music, magic and ancient traditions of the Maltese archipelago, complete with beautiful images of the islands and its temples.

SYDNEY OR THE PUSH
Saturday 9.30am - Show Pavilion
The Sydney Push is a conspicuous, if ill-defined, part of Australian social folklore. From the late 1940s to the early '70s, this large, loose grouping of libertarians and nonconformists talked, loved, drank and partied the pubs of inner Sydney. Germaine Greer, Wendy Bacon, Eva Cox, Robert Hughes, Liz Fell, Frank Moorhouse and Jim Staples were some of the Push notables. John Dengate is old enough to know about them and will bring his own slant on ‘The Push’ through stories and song.
 
TOLPUDDLE MAN
Saturday 10.30am - Show Pavilion
Graeme Moore is hails from Dorset and is something of an expert on the Tolpuddle Martyrs who are so much a part of Australia’s early History. He has written songs and performed workshops and theme concerts on the subject at the prestigious Tolpuddle Festival and has had many of his songs performed by the likes of Roy Bailey and Dick Gaughan.

RON EDWARDS TRIBUTE CONCERT
Saturday 2.30pm - Show Pavilion
One of Australia’s great collectors and folklorist Ron Edwards died last year. As a tribute to his life and work, friend and fellow folklorist Keith McKenry will host a memorial concert. Taking part will be some of Australias best traditional performers, Chloe and Jason, Alan Musgrove, Wongawilli, John Broomhall, Len Neary and Duncan Chalmers.

FOR PETE’S SAKE
Saturday 5pm - Show Pavilion
Iconic Folk singer and political activist, Pete Seeger, turns 90 in May’ To celebrate we’ll be showing the highly acclaimed film, Power of a Song’ which played to packed houses at this years film festival. Supporting the Film with their own Pete Seeger Songs will be some of the Festival’s finest performers. Of course there’ll be singing by the audience. You’ll be surprised how many of them you know, even if you weren’t alive in the 50s and 60s.

GREAT WOOLLY YARNS COMPETITION
Saturday Midday - Grandstand Bar
Your chance to take out some of the great prizes on offer just by telling the odd tale or two. Truth is not an issue though laying claim to it is essential. Only one rule- all yarns must be no longer than five minutes or the gong applies. Hosted by Russel Hannah this competition is in its 21st year. Politicians are barred.
 
KARAFOLKIE
Saturday 7.00pm - Slacky Flat Bar
Mothers of Intention are the 2007 MusicOz Folk category winners and in this session need you to join the band! Ever heard of Folk Karioke, You probably haven’t but it won’t take you long to get the hang of it and MOI will let you select from a large list of popular folksongs.
 
BLUEGRASS AND BEYOND
Saturday 7.30pm - Grandstand Restaurant
It’s a great Festival for Bluegrass and apart from their individual gigs all the Bluegrass groups come together in one big bluegrass bash at the Show Pavilion on Saturday Night.
 
KEEPING THEM HONEST
Sunday 3pm - Show Pavilion
Politics has not died since the demise of ‘The Rodent’. It might just seem that way. We’ve foregone our regular sedition concert until such time as we see some of the laws repealed. We may have to re instigate it next year if the present incumbents don’t change things. Anyway a lot of our performers still believe that we have to be alert to make sure that the promises made are adhered to, particularly in regard to IR, Education, Health, Civil Liberties, climate change, reconciliation and anything else you can think of.
 
MAY YOU LIVE IN FUNNY TIMES
Sunday 10am Nags Lounge
The Greeks used to have a particular curse which was “May you live in interesting times’. Well at this festival we hope you can live in Funny Times. If you enjoy a good laugh then don’t miss this concert where some of our more serious performers show their funny side and some of our more funny ones show their seriously funny side.
 
SUNDAY MORNING GOSPEL
Sunday 8am - Global Green
Heather Mandich, Emma Hannah and Pete Bennett and Tamnesia will be hosting a mighty fine gospel sing to celebrate Sunday. Grab breakfast and getting along to feel inspired and spiritual. If you love the Gospel Music of the 50s and 60s you’ll love this concert. Atheists welcome.
 
CHOIRS CONCERT
Sunday 11.45am - Global Green
With support from the unions and the South Coast Labour Council the choirs will again feature at the festival as they have done for the past 15 years. With choirs from Newcastle, The Blue Mountains, Canberra Sydney and our own local Union Singers it promises to be one of the biggest line-ups ever.
 
ONE MINUTE WONDERS
Sunday 12.15pm - Grandstand Bar
Got a short Poem, say less than a minute then here’s your chance to get it out. Well known poet Brian Bell with a bit of help from his poetic mates will host a session of short sharp poems (limericks included) . Might even have a prize for the best one.
 
AUSTRALIAN SONGS - AL LLOYD TRIBUTE
Sunday 12 noon - Chapel
One of the great concerts that the Folk Club presented during the year was The AL Lloyd memorial. Collector of many of Australia’s best known ‘Bush’ songs Bert Lloyd was born in 1898 in England and spent a part of his youth in Australia. Many local performers and groups banded together to give a new interpretation of some of his songs. The concert will be hosted by Mark Gregory who met and interviewed Bert during his lifetime.

FESTIVAL FINALE & PARADE
Sunday 7pm - Global Green and Black Diamond Marquee
This years festival will see a collaborative effort to create a parade and finale which will “Bridge” the diverse and wonderful groups which make the festival and our creative community so special! Join David de Santi with members of Wongawilli, Big Snore Hammers and Zumpa : John Broomhall : Nick Rheinberger and the incredible mass Ukulele players featuring ANYONE who can play a uke with the wonderful Mike Jackson : African drum and dance with Damion Stirling and Elemental Groove : Tribal Jewels : Cinnamon Twist School of Bellydance : participants from the Illawarra Folk Summer School : special quests from out of town including Kavisha Mazzella AND as many of YOU who would like to participate!