Our main venues, campsite and free car park will be based at the West Midlands Showground.

Office opening hours during festival weekend are Friday 27th 10am–10pm, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th 10am–9pm & Monday 30th 10am–4pm

Tickets

Tickets give unlimited access to all events subject to individual venue capacity. We do not sell specific event/artist tickets. If you order tickets online you will receive an email for printing at home. If you order tickets over the phone or through the post your ticket receipt will be sent (snail mail) within two weeks of ordering. All tickets are subject to availability and terms and conditions. It costs £1.50 to book online and £4 to make a postal or telephone booking. Please keep your ticket receipt or email safe and bring it with you when you come to the festival because you will need to exchange it for your ticket/s when you arrive. Your ticket/s cannot be issued without a festival ticket receipt. Tickets are not transferable and should be displayed at all times. Wristbands cannot be replaced if lost and will be fitted on to your wrist at the ticket office when you arrive.

Friday
Tickets are valid from 6.00 pm – midnight.

Saturday and Sunday
Tickets are valid from 10.00 am – midnight.

Monday
Tickets are valid from 10.00 am – 6.00 pm.

Full Weekend
A full weekend ticket is valid from Friday to Monday.

Concessionary Tickets (adult full weekend tickets only)

• Senior Citizen (60 years of age for men & women)
• Employment and Support Allowance (Incapacity Benefit and Income Support) paid because of an illness or disability
• NUS card holders

Customers requiring a carer may also purchase a second full weekend ticket at the concessionary price. Proof of entitlement must be shown at the ticket office onsite, or the full price will be charged. Proof of entitlement will be required when purchasing tickets during the festival weekend.

Children
Tickets are free for children under 11 years.

Youths
Tickets are half price for youths aged 11 to 17 years.

All under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Under 18s tickets can only be purchased with adult tickets.

Family Tickets
A family ticket is for 2 adults and 2 youths aged 11-17 years.

If you think your age will be questioned, please bring personal identification.

Booking methods:

• Online (£1.50 booking fee)
  MasterCard, Visa, Maestro and Solo cards are all accepted for online payments

• Post (£4 booking fee)
  Send a cheque (name and address on back - made payable to Shrewsbury Folk Festival) or your credit/debit card details and a completed booking form to Shrewsbury Folk Festival, PO Box 1568, Bridgnorth, WV15 6YJ, enclosing a MEDIUM (C5) sized SAE. Please post your order before 19th August.

• Telephone (£4 booking fee)
  To book over the telephone using your credit/debit card, please call 01746 768 813 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

Any postal or telephone bookings received after Monday 23rd August will be held for collection at the festival.

Refunds

Refunds will be given consideration on written request before 1st July 2010 and will be subject to a 50% administration fee. Sorry, NO REFUNDS after 1st July 2010.

How can I find out when my favourite artists are on?
How can I buy a souvenir programme?

Artist’s performance days will be listed on the Who is on When page. Times are released in mid August when our souvenir programme will be available. You can pre-order a programme with your tickets, or buy a programme onsite at the ticket office when you arrive. Programmes will NOT be posted until 15th August. If you are away from home after this date i.e. on holiday, please don’t order one. If you live locally, programmes will be available at the Visitor Information Centre (Rowley’s House in Barker Street, Shrewsbury).

Camping

Camping costs £15 per adult and covers four nights - Friday to Monday inclusive. The campsite is open from 10am Friday to 12 noon Tuesday. Please do not arrive in Shrewsbury before 10am – you will not be allowed access to the campsite until it opens at 10am. Thursday camping is not permitted. Camping is available to full weekend ticket holders only and should be booked at the same time as your weekend tickets. A family weekend ticket does not include camping. Camping for children and youths is free. Cars can be parked next to tents, caravans, campervans and motorhomes etc. and can be moved on and off site unless the weather is very wet. Camping pitches are not pre-bookable – just turn up and choose your spot. Camping pitches can be saved for friends. There is no electric hook up available. We have designated quiet, late night and family areas. The campsite is suitable for seasoned and novice campers alike and is completely flat with roadways throughout the site.

Toilets, Showers and Washing Facilities

There are over 100 permanent toilets and 50 sinks on the showground which is more than ample for our needs. Temporary portaloos will be situated near the dance tent and marquee 2. Free showers are available again this year and they will remain open 24hrs a day. Please queue patiently and be as quick as you possibly can so as to allow others to use them and not miss any of the shows. Certain times of the day are busier than others. If you choose to take a shower at peak times you will encounter queues and you would be advised to try and take a shower at a quiet time. Although the showers are connected to the main water supply pressure can be unreliable so please be patient. Drinking water taps must not be used for washing up dishes or yourselves. Please fill a suitable container and take it back to your tent or caravan. Chemical loo waste (caravan toilets) must be emptied into the Elsan points. Under no circumstances must you clean your toilets with the drinking water taps and do not empty them into the portaloos - the chemicals don’t mix!

Access and facilities for people with disabilities

We try our best to make sure the festival is accommodating for people with disabilities. There is wheelchair access at most venues and a limited number of accessible viewing spaces in both concert marquees. There is also a designated camping area situated close to wheelchair accessible flushing toilets and showers. The whole site is totally flat and has tarmac roadways. Battery charging is available for electric scooters and wheelchairs. For further information please call 01746 768 813 or email sandra@shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

Recycling and green issues

During the festival weekend please place your rubbish in the bins or skips. All bottles, cans, paper, cardboard and plastics etcetera will be sorted and recycled by PINK SKIPS. They recycle as much as 80% of waste that goes into their purpose built recycling centre in Telford. All caterers are strongly urged to use biodegradable plastic, paper or wooden serving containers, plates, cups and knives & forks. Beer glasses will be made of reusable hard plastic. All of the bottled water for our artists comes from Two Distribute Ltd.; (run entirely by volunteers) they will be providing One Water. ALL the profits that One Water and Two Distribute make are donated to providing clean water in Africa through the installation of PlayPumps. The water is bottled at source in Powys, Wales and their bottles are recyclable.

Where is the nearest train station?

Shrewsbury railway station is situated in Castle Gates which is only 10/15 mins walk from the festival site. For directions and maps from the station go to our main menu or click here. National Rail enquiries can be contacted on 08457 48 49 50 or go to www.nationalrail.co.uk

By Bus and Coach

The National Express run coaches into Shrewsbury, please call 08705 808080 or go to www.nationalexpress.com. For details of Bus routes and times within the county, please call the Shropshire Traveline on 0870 6082608 or contact a Tourist Information Centre.

Free On-Site Car Park

Ample free car parking is available for people who are not camping.

Bicycles

There are no specific areas where you can leave bicycles but one side of the festival perimeter is a chain link fence which bicycles can be chained to.

Festival site address and post code for Sat Navs (do not post anything to this address).

West Midlands Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 2PF

Dogs

Dogs are welcome at the festival but they are NOT allowed in venues unless they are assistance dogs. Dogs must always be kept under strict control and on short leads. Always clean up after your dog and don’t let them ‘go’ near our drinking water taps. Free poop bags are available from the campsite wardens. Owners will be responsible for any damage caused by their dogs. If your dog does not have a friendly temperament please don’t bring it.

Accommodation

Hotel and B & B details are available from this website by clicking here or from Shrewsbury Visitor Information Centre on 01743 281 200 or email visitorinfo@shrewsbury.gov.uk

Food and Drink

There will be a great selection of meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes available from Mexican wraps, Thai dishes, pie & mash, Caribbean jerk chicken, healthy salads, sweet and savoury crepes, homemade ice cream, jacket potatoes, burgers, hotdogs, chips, sandwiches, full English breakfasts, speciality teas, real coffee, juices, smoothies and three real ale bars stocking all your favourite tipples.

There should be no need to go hungry or thirsty!

Boxfresh Organics (festival shop) will be selling fruit, veg, eggs, bacon, sausages, bread, cheese, butter, milk, tea, coffee, sugar and other staples that make up the camping cook’s larder.

Special festival boxes will be available that you can order online, pay over the phone for and pick up on the day. Orders can be taken from the end of February - see the Boxfresh Organics website at www.boxfreshorganics.co.uk

BBQs and Fires

Off the ground BBQs and braziers are permitted but open fires on the grass are not allowed.

Can I buy newspapers on-site?

Boxfresh Organics will be selling newspapers.

Is there a cash machine?

Unfortunately there is no cash machine on-site.

Free Festival Bus

A free shuttle bus service (Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm) runs every 15/20 mins to take you into town and back. If you walk along the Pig Trough it will take about 20/30 mins. A bus timetable will be available at the festival.

Official Photos, Visual & Audio Promotion

Ticket holders consent to inclusion in official photographic, visual and audio promotion of the festival.

What time does the music start and finish?

Friday 27th 7.30pm–11.30pm, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th 1pm–11.30pm, Monday 30th 1pm–6.30pm. Workshops start at 10am. Sessions start at 12 noon. All timings are approximate.

Artists and Programmed Events

SFF reserves the right to amend or cancel events should circumstances dictate. However, every effort will be made to carry out programmed events as advertised.

Workshops

SFF will be running a large number of workshops that cover just about every aspect of the folk tradition. A workshop programme will be posted on the web site later in the year.

Venues

Marquee 1
We will be using the Scola tensile marquee that we have used for the last three years as our main venue. Last year we raised the stage to give people a better view of the artists and feedback tells us it was a total success, so this year the stage height will remain the same as 2009. There will be more leg room between rows of seats making it more comfortable to pop in and out and we will again have screens either side of the stage.

Marquee 2
This venue will be in the same location as last year which gave good protection from sound crossover from Marquee 1. Marquee 2 has a fairly laid back atmosphere and often has some of our more traditional artists performing there.

Dance Marquee
Once again we will be using a Clearspan marquee with proper glazed doors on each entrance. Attention will be paid to dance floor levels and the floors will be treated with slip stop to prevent accidents. The ambient lighting will be improved as will the stage lighting. There will also be more chairs available.

Sabrina Marquee and the GKN Pavilion
These venues are used for acoustic concerts, folk clubs, singarounds and workshops. The Sabrina marquee will be sited just outside the GKN Pavilion, right in the middle of the action but far enough away from the big marquees to protect it from sound cross over

Seats
All venues have seats – you do not need to bring your own.

Volunteer Stewards

Stewards work for about 12 hours during the festival in exchange for a full weekend ticket, free camping and a free souvenir programme. More information is available here or by calling 01746 768 813.