Our main venues, campsite and free car park will be based at
the West Midlands Showground.
Opening
Times
During the festival weekend (28-31 August 2009) our ticket office
opening times are:-
Friday 28th 10am–10pm, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th 10am–9pm
& Monday 31st 10am–4pm
Tickets
Please note all ticket prices include VAT.
2009
Ticket Prices are here
 Tickets
give unlimited access to all events subject to individual
venue capacity. We do not sell specific event/artist
tickets. 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. If you order tickets
online you will be sent an email confirming your purchase and a link to
your tickets for printing at home. If you order tickets over the phone
or through the post your ticket receipt will normally be sent within two
weeks of ordering. All tickets are subject to availability and terms and
conditions.
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)
You are eligible to purchase these tickets if you are a Senior Citizen
(60 years of age for men & women) or if you are in receipt of the
following:
- Employment and Support Allowance (Incapacity Benefit and Income Support)
paid because of an illness or disability
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- 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.
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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.
It is now FREE to book online. It costs £3 to make a postal
or telephone booking. Whichever way you book tickets you will
be sent a receipt - please keep it safe. 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 the festival ticket
receipt.
You
can book by the following methods:
Refunds
Refunds will be given consideration on written request before 1st July
2009 and will be subject to a 50% administration fee. Sorry, no refunds
after 1st July 2009 |
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 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). |
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Camping
 Camping
is available to full weekend ticket holders only and
should be booked at the same time as your weekend tickets. Camping costs
£12 per adult and covers four nights - Friday to
Monday. Camping for children and youths is free. The
campsite is open from 10am Friday to 12 noon Tuesday.
Thursday camping is not permitted. 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 which will be easily identifiably by coloured flags.
The campsite is suitable for seasoned and novice campers alike and is
completely flat with roadways throughout the site.
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 Toilets,
Showers and Washing Facilities
There are approximately 150 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 to 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! |
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 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 the festival box office on 01746
768 813 or email sandra@shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk |
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 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.
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 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
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 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.
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 Free
On-Site Car Park
Ample free car parking is available for people who are not camping. |
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 Festival
site address and post code for Sat Navs
West Midlands Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 2PF (do
not post anything to this address). |
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 Dogs
Dogs are welcome at the festival but in a change from previous years
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. Free poop bags are available
from the campsite wardens. Owners will be responsible for any damage caused
by their dogss. |
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 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
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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 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
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 BBQs
and Fires
Off the ground BBQs and braziers are permitted but open fires on the
grass are not allowed. |
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 Can
I buy newspapers on-site?
Boxfresh Organics will be selling newspapers. |
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Is
there a cash machine?
Unfortunately there is no cash machine on-site. |
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 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. |
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 Official
Photos, Visual & Audio Promotion
Ticket holders consent to inclusion in official photographic, visual
and audio promotion of the festival. |
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 What
time does the music start and finish?
Friday 28th 7.30pm–11.30pm, Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th 1pm–11.30pm,
Monday 31st 1pm–6.30pm. Workshops start at 10am. Sessions start
at 12 noon. All timings are approximate. |
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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. |
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 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. |
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Venues
 Marquee
1
We will be using the wonderful Scola tensile marquee we used last year
as our main venue. To prevent the seated audience having
their view interrupted when people at the front stand up we have again
decided to increase the height of the stage and use crowd control barriers
behind the standing area. This will create a line of demarcation and the
first seated rows will be positioned three metres behind the barriers.
This means if anyone stands up the seated audience will see straight over
their heads.
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 the same Clearspan marquee as last year with
proper glazed doors on each entrance. More 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 slightly larger this year and 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.
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 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 and application forms are available on
line by clicking here or by calling 01746 768 813.
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