Folk festival brings successful end to month of Black Country celebrations
The final event of a month of Black Country celebration brought catchy tunes and good vibes to a country park.
The Black Country Folk Festival was the final act of a month celebrating the region's culture, history and tradition and brought hundreds of fans of music to Himley Hall to hear the best of the local and national folk scene and enjoy a day out.
Held over two days on Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of Himley Hall, the festival featured two stages called the Fixed Wheel Main Stage and smaller Katie Fitzgerald's Stage, as well as a large selection of food options, from traditional favourites such as burgers and chips to vegan options.
There was also a number of fully stocked bars, as well as softer options, and treats such as cotton candy and sweets for the youngsters attending the festival.
It was a chance for families to come together and listen to some of the best in the folk scene, from the Jess Silk Trio to Man the Lifeboats and Atilla the Stockbroker, as well as local groups and performers such as Eddy Morten and The Empty Can.
Empty Can member James Stevens was also one of the organisers of the festival, having been part of the organisation of the Black Country Festival for 10 years, and said it had been a great weekend for everyone involved.
He said: "The music started at 11.30am with two stages and kept going until 9pm, with a range of acts such as Matt Johnson and the Reprobates and the Alex Sloane Band, with people coming down to enjoy a few drinks and have a family day out.
"It was just nice and everything clicked and the only complaint I heard about was the ladies toilets running out of toilet paper, which we quickly fixed.
"It's been wonderful to work with such wonderful people to bring this together as this is our space that we like to inhabit and it's great to be around your pals and see them performing and getting a great reception."
Mr Stevens said the weather had been changeable throughout the weekend, with sunny weather on the Saturday and slightly wetter conditions on the Sunday, but said it hadn't dampened the spirits of everyone taking part, with his band the Empty Can performing on the Sunday midway through the day.
He said it had been good to be part of such a big event and said the plan was to take a week off, then start the planning for 2024.
He said: "We'll probably regroup in a week and sort out the business end of this year, then begin the preparations for next year.
"We've been blessed this year with the audience and the acts performing and we're looking forward very much to getting the wheels in motion for next year."
