THE program
2025 FESTIVAL LINE UP
Festival Office Opens 12 noon Jan 17th Memorial Hall Macquarie St George Town.
Weekend Tickets – Entry to all Events 17th 18th 19th January 2025 $140 or $120 Concession.
Individual Concert and workshop tickets available at the office or Venue . Larger Concerts available on line . Office and door sales are Cash only.
Camping at low Head Tourist Park 63821573 or East Beach Tourist Park 63821000. George Town is an RV friendly town.
Thank you to our Generous Sponsors for supporting the Festival. George Town Council for their 2025 Grant to help us continue. Our Grant from Liberty Bell Bay provides the Free Community inclusion Events. All other Sponsors, including The Pier Hotel, The Agency, Barratts Music, Zenith Gin, Impressions, and to the kind People who made donations. Thank you sincerely . Have a great Weekend, as we celebrate our 35th Tamar Valley Folk Festival .
FRIDAY 17 January
Welcome to Friday Jan 17th
The Tamar Valley Folk Festival acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional owners of this land, Past , Present and Emerging.
TIME
Event
1:15 PM
Songs, tunes and Stories from Ireland . George Town Yacht Club, the Esplanade.
A presentation by Brian Owens . A gentle start to your weekend . Included in Weekend ticket or $20
2:30 PM
The Writers Circle – Annette Higgs. George Town Yacht Club, The Esplanade.
Award winning Author, Penguin Prize winner . Annette Higgs grew up in George Town and now resides in Sydney. Presented by Lorraine Wootton. Included in Weekend ticket or $20
3:00 PM
The Welcome Session – Pier Hotel Verandah. Many of our Artists will join in the welcome session. The drinks are cold and we are ready. Let’s Go!
4:00 PM
Reset and Re Connect with Forte’. A skilled Mindful Communication Educator, Forte will help you unwind, relax and let go of the stress of daily rush. Share in a safe place and foster a sense of community and align with the Festival’s joyful spirit. Please register 0407313103 Venue given out once registered. A Community Inclusion Event.
7:00 PM
The Welcome Concert – Memorial Hall
Djuker Hart will participate in the Acknowledgement and Opening .
The Royal Highjinx
The Clementines
Ange Boxall
—————-
New Holland Honey Eaters
The Irish Gathering Band
Complimentary drink served in interval, included in Weekend ticket or online $40
Sets 35 mins.
Saturday 18 January
Welcome to Saturday 18th January
Lions Club of George town will have the Breakfast Van in front of Memorial Hall, Coffee Van and cafes open.
TIME
Event
9:00 AM
The Festival Market held in Regent Square Come browse and support our Artisans.
9:00 AM
Follow up on Reset and Connect with Mindful Communication Educator Forte’
text 0407313103 for details.
10:00 AM
The ‘Teddies & Bin, Rhyme & Sing’ Show with Bindy Stephens @ Happy Habits. When friendships get tricky, as they often do, DJ Dog Bruce comes to the rescue. Bruce helps his young audience learn about the seesaw of give and take within friendships, as he helps everyone learn how to positively problem solve. Graham Fairless Hall, a free event.
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Music in and around the street and Market. Come join in the fun. All Musicians Welcome. Many of our Artists help us and participate in this fun Event. Dancers, Belly Dancers, and more.
10:15 AM
Songs of Islands – Themed Concert – Bass and Flinders Museum Elizabeth St
Written by Colin Smiley and features Phil Beck , Sean Roche, Kerrie Maguire. A colourful look at some of the Islands of the world, their stories and songs. Test your knowledge with a quiz about island to wind a prize. Included in Weekend ticket or $20
11:00 AM
Djuker Hart- Children’s Workshop – Macquarie Room. Djuker will facilitate a Cultural workshop, using Lomandra leaf to make rope, he will use ochre and will do some Indigenous dancing with children. No charge. Part of our Community Inclusion Events programme.
11:30 AM
Australian Bush Songs and Tunes – A Themed Concert- George Town Yacht Club
Stories , songs and tunes by Michael Manhire and Hetty Binns. Included in your Weekend Ticket or $20
11:45 AM
The Festival Choir with the Clementines. Graham Fairless Hall. All Singers all abilities Welcome. The Choir performs at the Closing Concert on Sunday. A very popular part of our Festival. If you love singing, this is for you. A Community Inclusion Event.
12:00 PM
Sands Family Circus – A fun Circus Experience for all – next to the Swings in the Park
12:45 PM
Diners Concert at the Pier Hotel Dining Room – Scott Haigh. Come enjoy lunch with Music performed by Scott.
1:00 PM
Singing and Music Session – Pier Hotel Verandah. All welcome
1:15 PM
Classic Queens of Country – Suzette Herft – Memorial Hall . A tribute show-to the great Women of Country Music. Suzette will present tributes to Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lyn and more. 1 Hr. Included in your Weekend Ticket or $30 online
2:30 PM
The New Holland Honey Eaters – A New Concert York Cove Centre Sorell St.
“Got More Trouble Than I Can Stand”: The Story of Ragtime. “Ragtime dominated American music from about 1896 to 1920. Its syncopated sounds are entrenched in the nation’s memory as a soundtrack to the era, and endure as part of the fabric of the Nation’s music. Ragtime’s journey began with Black folk music . The New Holland Honey Eaters will take a look at this remarkable journey
Included in your Weekend ticket or $30 online
3:30 PM
Gypsy Jazz Workshop with Jen Hawley – 1069 Café Macquarie St. All welcome.
7:00 PM
Saturday Evening Concert Memorial Hall 7pm ( Interchangeable with York Cove Concert).
Greg Wells and The Black Water Band
Steve Turner (UK)
Rosie Haden’s Under the Radar
——————
Jacob Boote
The Irish Gathering Band – Get ready to Dance!
Included in your Weekend Ticket or $40 online
7:00 PM
Saturday Evening Concert- York Cove Centre Sorrell St 7pm (interchangeable with York Cove)
Phil Beck and Sean Roche
Little Pine
joy and Michael
————–
Vince Brophy
The Royal Highjinx- Dancing invited
tea and coffee provided at Break. Included in Weekend ticket or $40
Sunday 19 January
TIME
Event
8:00 AM
The Lions Club Breakfast Graham Fairless Hall
9:00 AM
The Poet’s Breakfast Graham Fairless Hall . Colin Berry and Bruce Penn our Poet’s for 2025. Come join in the fun and register to read a poem . Breakfast on Sale by George Town Lions. Thank you to Georg Town Lions.
10:00 AM
Learn to play the Recorder. Children’s Workshop. Macquarie Room ( Mem Hall).
Joy Coates, will provide the recorders and soon have you playing along. Beginner Adults are welcome.
10:30 AM
Tony Newport- Themed Concert – Bass and Flinders Museum Elizabeth St.
A short History of 20th Century Oz in songs and Verse. Tony Newport with the Semaphore Singers will perform some of the great Australian hits by Artists, John Williamson, Paul Kelly, Eric Bogle, Redgum, Reg Lindsay and more. Poems by John Obrien, Gwen Harwood, Oodgeroo Noonuccle, les Murray, Bruce Dawe and more.
10:30 AM
Steve Turner (UK)- Themed Concert – George Town Yacht Club Esplanade North. Songs and Tunes from the Napoleonic Era. Steve will present a concert he performed throughout the UK for the 200th anniversary of Waterloo. Illustrating the songs of the Napoleonic Period leading up to Waterloo and beyond.
11:00 AM
Kids Celtic Concert – The Irish Gathering Band . Children Free with Adult. Adults Free with children. Come join the fantastic fun for Kids.
11:30 AM
The Bad Dad Orchestra in the Park – Thank you George Town, for hosting the Festival for 35 years.
A free Community Inclusion Event. Lets Dance and have fun together.
12:00 PM
Harmonica Workshop with Colin Smiley. Macquarie Room (Mem Hall). You will need a 10 hole Harmonica in key of C ( Under $20) and learn a tune. Included in your weekend ticket or $15 from Office.
1:00 PM
Session at the Pier Hotel. Come join in the fun. All Welcome
1:30 PM
Farewell Concert – Memorial Hall
The Irish Gathering Band
Little Pine
Scott Haigh
———————
The Royal Highjinx
The Clementines and the Festival Choir
Included in your Weekend Ticket or $40 online
As we say farewell to our 35th Festival, we head to the Pier to join in the fun and session.
Kids Program
TIME
Event
10:00 AM
Saturday 18 Jan
The ‘Teddies & Bin, Rhyme & Sing’ Show with Bindy Stephens @ Happy Habits. When friendships get tricky, as they often do, DJ Dog Bruce comes to the rescue. Bruce helps his young audience learn about the seesaw of give and take within friendships, as he helps everyone learn how to positively problem solve. Graham Fairless Hall, a free event.
11:00 AM
Saturday 18 Jan
Djuker Hart- Children’s Workshop – Macquarie Hall. Djuker will facilitate a Cultural workshop, using Lomandra leaf to make rope, he will use ochre and will do some Indigenous dancing with children. No charge. Part of our Community Inclusion Events programme.
11:00 AM
Saturday 18 Jan
Children’s Concert. Graham Fairless Hall TBA
12:00 PM
Saturday 18 Jan
Sands Family Circus – A fun Circus Experience for all – next to the Swings in the Park
10:00 AM
Sunday 19 Jan
Learn to play the Recorder. Children’s Workshop. Macquarie Room ( Mem Hall).
Joy Coates, will provide the recorders and soon have you playing along. Beginner Adults are welcome.
11:00 AM
Sun 19 Jan
Kids Celtic Concert – The Irish Gathering Band . Children Free with Adult. Adults Free with children. Come join the fantastic fun for Kids.
