This year will be the fourteenth edition of the festival. In recognition of all the non-musical entertainment featured across the weekend, organisers have changed the name of the festival to Moseley Folk & Arts. So, for 2019 you can also expect a rich programme of Arts & Crafts, Comedy & Cabaret, Poetry & Literature and Talks & Debate.

*MAIN STAGE MUSIC LINE-UP*

On Friday, Public Service Broadcasting will bring their uniquely spell-binding live AV transmissions to the festival, with co-headliners The Zutons, who have reformed in celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of their seminal album Who Killed The Zuton’. BRIT, NME, Ivor Novello and Mercury Prize Award-nominated, Jake Bugg, headlines the Saturday night and Don McLean headlines Sunday with hits such as Vincent, Castles In The Air and And I Love You So, as well as the anthemic American Pie.

Pre-headliners include Ivor Novello and Ivor Inspriation Award winner Edwyn Collins, ex-Bombay Bicycle Club singer Lucy Rose coming off the back of critically acclaimed new album No Words Left and Richard Thompson who’s described as the finest songwriter after Bob Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix.

Rounding off the main stage line-up will be the queen of folk and political song, Peggy Seeger, folktronica pioneers Tunng, “the real deal for the next generation” (The Independent) Israel Nash, BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Daoiri Farrell, a solo performance from Midlake member EB The Younger, BBC Introducing West Midlands’ selection Gasoline & Matches, ex-member of Slow Club Charles Watson, “fiery, soulful vocals” (NME) from Charlotte Carpenter, punk, grunge, pre-war Blues and Appalachian Folk influenced Gwenifer Raymond, poetic and atmospheric Zooni and Thom Ashworth with inventive musicality and powerful tenor voice.

*LUNAR STAGE MUSIC LINE-UP*

Hauntingly beautiful indie folk band Saint Alto headline the second stage on Friday night, with Australian folk-pop band Babe Rainbow headlining Saturday and Boat To Row headlining Sunday celebrating a decade of live performances. Pre-headlining will be County Line Runner known for his unique lyrics and storytelling, Rajasthani folk songs from Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band and the annual haydown from Ceilidh Liberation Front.

Completing the Second Stage line-up is new project from Field Music’s Peter Bewis and Sarah Hayes You Tell Me, Moseley Folk veterans DOF, ex-Trembling Bells member Alex Neilson as Alex Rex, versatile multi-instrumentalist Hannah Read, award-winning lively folk duo The Drystones, Sunday Express Folk Album of the Year choice Bird In The Belly, Folk/Americana musician Death By Stampede, Eastern European folklore group MUHA, Haitian Folk artist Germa Adan and Zimbabwean group Harare.

*KITCHEN GARDEN STAGE LINE-UP*

The Kitchen Garden Café is an eco-friendly oasis in the heart of Birmingham offering wholesome and tasty food as well as live music from local musicians. Every year they programme the Kitchen Garden Stage, situated in the new Folk On The Slope area positioned in front of the beautiful lake.

Son of Roy Harper and presenting a show about his childhood growing up in a musical household is Nick Harper. He’s joined by Mercury-prize nominee Kathryn Williams, American country/blues musician Charlie Parr, “mind-blowing lyrics” (Billboard) from JD Wilkes and Wizz Jones who has been cited as a major influence by the likes of Eric Clapton and Ralph McTell.

Simply Dylan will be celebrating the rich and diverse work of Bob Dylan, whilst international storytelling duo Whitherward, “truly exceptional” (BBC Introducing) songwriter Rachel Croft and Folk duo Joshua Burnell & Frances Sladen also appear. Also performing on the Kitchen Garden stage will be Otis Redding and Joni Mitchell-inspired Philippa Zawe, delta and country blues inspired Son of John, fast-rising folk/Americana artist Emily Mae Winters, The Faux Pas with foot-stomping covers, Folk Music Award nominee John Blek and singer-songwriter Chloe Mogg.

*ARTS PROGRAMME*

BBC 6 Music’s Stuart Maconie will be giving a talk about his Sunday Times Bestseller A Long Walk From Jarrow: A Journey Through Britain Then and Now. He will also lead a Q&A with the undisputed queen of Folk and political song, Peggy Seeger. The festival will also be proud to welcome Helen Pankhurst, great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, for a talk about her book In Deeds Not Words.

The Hurricane Tapes is an investigative podcast about American boxer Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter and his wrongful incarceration for murder in 1966. Co-producer, Steve Crossman will shed light on his investigations into this wrongful conviction and the events that led to it.

Providing the laughs on Saturday will be a comedy line-up curated by Glee Club Birmingham featuring Rob Auton, Andy Robinson and Bethany Black. Birmingham Comedy Festival are taking over the comedy on the Sunday with a performance from Tom Binns, best known for his characters hospital radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury and spirit medium Ian D Montfort.

Staff and historical demonstrators from Black Country Living Museum will have an array of activities, promoting heritage skills of the Black Country. Attendees can also take part in woodcraft, watch acrobatics from Circus Raj, take part in sculpture making, get involved with singing workshops, watch Morris dancing, spin wool and play instruments with the Birmingham Youth Folk Band.

Also appearing at the festival will be much-loved local Birmingham author Catherine O’Flynn, storytellers Bernadette Russell and Pyn Stockman, Hi Vis Graffiti artists and a live performance from Ouse Valley Singles Club. The festival also welcomes Journey To Nutopia; this movement is a desire to move towards a better place, a conversation about positive future narratives and the anti-dystopia. From the movement, prolific public speaker and author John Higgs, theatre director and performer Daisy Campbell, and editor of online magic and feminism magazine, Mookychick, Magda Knight will all be in conversation.

Tickets are selling quickly but are still available at https://www.moseleyfolk.co.uk/