Music for the Retro Night - Friday May 3rd!
Join The AB Band at the Town Hall from 7pm to dance the night away to classic tunes from the 50s and 60s. Why not dress the part? Prizes for the best retro outfit!
Tickets here

In concert at St Agatha’s, 5pm, Saturday 4th May.
Bisarr are Nicholas Konradsen and James Noble, two outstanding young musicians with a strong world music vibe, playing on an amazing variety of instruments… Tickets here.
Sponsored by Richmond Rotary Club

Richmond’s own Black Lion Folk Club have their regular Folk Session on Friday evening
(May 3rd) - all welcome, upstairs at The Black Lion on Finkle Street from 7.30pm.
7.30-8.30 usually instrumental, with songs from around 8.30pm.

Storyteller. Richmond Castle, Monday 6th May.
Carmel Page is a renowned storyteller who is excited about coming to Richmond Castle. Carmel will enchant you with tales and words of wisdom from Yorkshire, handed down through generations.

Town Hall, Sunday 7pm
The MayFest Ceilidh, with the No Lazy Dancing Dance Band. Tickets here.

A Celebration of Character

Ballet Class Live - a mixture of Hungarian, Polish, Spanish & German dances from the world-renowned Royal Academy of Dance Syllabus.

Fun activities at Richmond Castle on Saturday and Sunday!
Step right up, folks! Unfurl your inner daredevil with circus activitits hat spin, swirl, and spark imaginations! Roll up, roll up for pure circus joy, laughter and oohs and aahs galore!

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Sunday lineup!
Cricket on the Hearth are an Appalachian step dancing group based in Harrogate, and will be showcasing their wonderful Appalachian clog dancing at the Town Hall and Castle.

Appearing all over the place on Saturday - Town Hall Coffee Morning, then Castle and Market Place in the pm. Damian is a wonderful performer on a musical mission is to showcase the Hammer Dulcimer and Hurdy Gurdy.

In the Town Hall and Castle on Saturday. Dante Ferrara is no ordinary Elizabethan musician. He specialises in the music, song and entertainment of renaissance Europe. playing on hurdy gurdy, lute and more…

Living history at Richmond Castle - Saturday, Sunday and Monday
Dawn of Chivalry bring the thirteenth century to life with battling knights and a fascinating encampment. Don’t miss their Archery show!
Sponsored by Yorkshire Country Holidays

Supporting Bisarr in concert at St Agatha’s on Saturday afternoon.
Emaline Delapaix is an Australian singer songwriter who recently moved to the Dales. She’ll be accompanied by partner Lukas Creswell-Rost on guitar and mandolin.
Tickets here.

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup!

Saturday, Sunday and Monday at Richmond Castle
Loads happening at the Castle all weekend - living history, dance, music, tales, children’s activities, facepainting, bar, stalls… and Free entry to DL9, DL10 and DL11 residents!

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup!

Glorious facepainting at Richmond Castle
all three days, with Glitter Critterz

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup!
Now based in North Yorkshire, Greg Genre is “a singer/songwriter who exudes more warmth than a 15 tog duvet”!

In the Castle on Monday
storytellerjim is a wonderful storyteller from the north east. “…magical moments indeedwhen you come across a ‘gem’ like Jim”!

Playing in the Musical Coffee Morning on Saturday - gorgeous piano sounds!

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup!

Monday in the Market Place
Richmond’s own Jolly Good Productions return by popular demand with their amazing Punch & Judy show!

Songs of Maytime - part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Sunday line-up. The Jolly Wassailers, sing songs reflecting the changing seasonal activities of the traditional calendar. In springtime songs feature the variety of customs that welcome in the May.

Market Place and Castle all three days
Watch this space for news on the markets at MayFest!

Town Hall - Saturday and Sunday afternoon
Relax with cracking folk music from local musicians - plus clog dancing and Scottish country dancing on Sunday. And a bar! Free entry.
Sponsored by Dale2Swale Glamping

Saturday at the Castle
Join the brilliant Claire of Maypole Movers to recreate wonderful dances around the Maypole.
School workshops also available - get in touch if you are interested. Sponsored by The Company of Mercers, Grocers & Haberdashers.

Monday - leaving Town Hall at 11am
Join in the MayFest parade - feel free to dress up (though you don’t have to!) as a Green Man or creature of the forest. Led by the Newton Aycliffe Pipe Band.

Saturday in and around the Market Place
Don’t miss Musical Ruth and the amazing magical mobile piano. A world full of music, laughter and 100% Nunsense!

Parade and at the Castle on Monday

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup - and a huge hit last year at the St Agatha’s concert.

Our 2024 Ceiidh Band!
The No Lazy Dancing Dance Band was formed after meeting the melodeon player and historian, Bob Ellis, who had spent nearly a decade researching the traditional music of ithe Yorkshire Dales.

Sunday afternoon at Richmond School
In 1974 the North Riding Schools Orchestra members went on a musical tour to Germany. Now 50 years later, they have returned to North Yorkshire to hold a reunion.

Richmondshire Museum on Saturday & Sunday Join Chris from Open Door Art at to create gorgeous art for the MayFest parade! Free admission for DL9, DL10 and DL residents. School workshops also available - get in touch if interested.

Market Place, Monday
Ovinos Samba is a traditional Brazilian Carnival Samba Band providing marching percussion for events in and around Swaledale, Richmond and Barnard Castle.

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Sunday lineup!
Original contemporary folk and more!BIG whistles, tenor guitars! Pen and Stu are Folkscape Live Artist of the Month March 2024.

At the Castle on Monday
RIchmondshire Amateur Dramatic Society present a frankly ridiculous Tale of Robin Hood as part of MayFest Tales Day. Find out what happened when Robin Hood met the poor knight…

Saturday, Sunday, Monday
MayFest would not be complete without these two wandering minstrels. Playing in and around the town centre all three days, and leading the musical promenade to St Agatha’s on Saturday.
Sponsored by McLuckie Projects.

Richmond Town Hall, 7pm Friday
Dance the night away to sounds of the 50s and 60s, with the AB Band. Tickets here.

At the Castle on Monday
Richmond’s own storyteller Rhoda Fraser presents stories for youngsters as part of MayFest Tales Day.

Town Hall, Sunday 12.30pm

Workshops on Saturday, Sunday and Monday
RhythmCalls promotes deep wellness through somatic movement, dance, rhythm cirlces and imagination. Join Filomena Ianni for drum and movement circles, and a taste of the Italian Tarantella!

Performing in the Day of Dance on Sunday -
including a workshop for anyone that wants to have a go

Taking part in the Morris Day of Dance on Sunday
- and also organising the whole thing, with guest morris sides from across the region. Heroes!

At The Station on Saturday
Students from Richmond School & Sixth Form College will be playing music in The Station around lunchtime on Saturday.

St Mary’s Church, 7.30pm Sunday
Richmondshire Choral Society’s Spring Concert for MayFest presents contains two contrasting works of praise composed a hundred years apart: Rutter’s ‘Feel the Spirit’ and Verdi’s ‘Four Sacred Pieces’. Tickets here.
Sponsored by The Company of Mercers, Grocer & Haberdashers

Sunday at the Town Hall
The Richmond Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society present traditional dances, with a chance to join in.

Saturday in the Market Place
Sid Bowfin - the classical musician the world’s been waiting for. Unpredictable, unhinged and unique, on a mission to play his favourite music in the only way he knows…

Monday in the Market Place
Ridiculous retellings of random bits of history from these two, delivered in an extremely silly way!
Sponsored by The Company of Fellmongers

Part of the Mini-Folk-Fest Saturday lineup
Summersville deliver stylish and beautiful self-penned contemporary folk songs.

Part of the Mini-Folk-Festival Saturday lineup

Getting under your feet all weekend…
Another MayFest fixture, Tom Fool will be on hand all weekend with his peculiar own brand of silliness…

At Richmond Castle all weekend
Richmond-based medieval minstrels Trouvere will be based in Richmond Castle all weekend with songs and music from medieval times.

Town Hall, Monday afternoon
Word Weavers are a writing group who have been meeting for a few months now - join them for an informal get-together and listen to some of their poems and short stories