The popular festival will be held over New Year, from December 30-January 3, at Waiora Scout Camp, North Taieri, and will feature workshops, dance and a children’s programme alongside an extensive music programme.
The Whare Flat Folk Festival is organised by the Dunedin Folk Club which promotes the festival as a having safe, family-friendly atmosphere.
Joining 11 New Zealand acts this year are two international groups — Italian trio Ensemble Sangineto, and Australian duo Mickey & Michelle.
Ensemble Sangineto creates fresh arrangements of traditional Irish, Scottish, Breton, and Italian tunes, as well as original compositions.
Duo Michael O’Donnell (voice/violin) and Michelle Doyle (harp) have been hiking through the New Zealand landscape, performing concerts along the way.
Their music is rooted in the Celtic, Americana, Afro-Cuban, and jazz traditions.
Whare Flat Folk festival committee member and artist liaison Bernadette Berry said the festival offered exciting events alongside the music programme and jam sessions.
This would include a daily dance programme for adults in the English Folk Dance tradition, and dance workshops for children, as well as a chance to perform, she said.
The popular New Year’s Eve ceilidh will also be held, with music by Dunedin Scottish Fiddle Orchestra.
Ms Berry said that festival-goers would be welcome to camp on-site at Waiora Scout Camp, or could come and go each day.
With the surge in Covid-19 cases around the country, festival-goers were being asked to do a Covid Rat test before arrival, and to stay away if they tested positive.
"We want to keep everyone safe and healthy during the festival, so everyone can enjoy a great time," she said.
People who could not attend due to illness would have their tickets refunded.
Details of performers and ticket information can be found online at the festival website at www.whareflat.org.nz
