Special Events
Alongside our regular programme of sessions across the weekend, we also run a number of special events. For more information on these, please see below!
Family Fringe
When: Saturday @ 09:00 - 17:00; Sunday @ 09:00 - 13:00 - Where: St Catherine's Scout Hut, 38 Holtwood Road, Sheffield, S4 7BA [Click for Map]
We’re really glad to announce that Chloe and Jake Middleton-Metcalfe have organised the Family Fringe (Baby & Child friendly session) for us again this year for instrumentalists, singers and dancers. Come prepared! Please BYOB and food. Some toys provided but more welcome. Tolerant adult musicians without children also welcome. Let us know if you’re coming using the Facebook event [Here]
Saturday
Workshop With roger Watson
When: Saturday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: The Perch
Join Roger Watson for the first of two workshops! He’ll help you with musical infrastructure by running through how to build dance tune arrangements from a rhythmic and harmonic structure, using well know tunes and some less predictable chord sequences. Suitable for all instruments!
18th Century Fiddle
When: Saturday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: Shakespeare’s Upstairs
Join acclaimed musician, songwriter, performer, entertainer and Luthier, Gina Le Faux focusing on 18th Century Fiddle Techniques.
Mandolin Workshop with MATT NELSON
When: Saturday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: The Forest
Join the fantastic Matt Nelson for a Mandolin workshop at the Forest; followed by a dedicated Mandolin session to put your learning into action! Stick around at the Forest after the workshop for a Mandolin session from 12:00 to 14:45!
Euro Bal
When: Saturday @ 12:00 - 14:45 - Where: Shakespeare’s Bards Bar (Upstairs)
A mixed dance & tune session. Come along with an instrument and/or your best dancing shoes for an afternoon bal at Shakespeares.
Song Surgery for Singers
When: Saturday @ 12:00 - 14:45 - Where: Gardeners Rest Upstairs
Have a pesky song that just doesn’t feel right? Join Jane Foggin for some song surgery! It’ll be partly a singing workshop aimed at healthy authentic voice production, partly a song share, intended to build confidence and skills for singing in sessions including leading songs or doing floor spots.
Playford
When: Saturday @ 15:00 - 17:45 - Where: Shakespeare’s Bards Bar (Upstairs)
A special Sheffield Sessions Festival edition of ‘Playford in the Pub’. Tunes and dances from 1651 onwards. An opportunity to play and dance to tunes with musicians visiting us from all around the UK, the scratch Playford orchestra is always epic. Playford is the eccentric great grandma of modern ceilidh and contra, and has some of the best tunes in the history of English folk music. Musicians, dancers, callers and beginners at all of these things are welcome. All the dances are taught, and some sheet music is provided for those who like to read it (playing by ear is also fine). Dance positions are not gendered in our calling, and you can dance in any position you like.
Mixed Tunes and Songs, Led by women and LGBTQ* people
When: Saturday @ 15:00 - 17:30 - Where: Gut Level [Map]
This is an inclusive session for both musicians and singers of folk and traditional music. It's hosted by Lucy and Rosie Huzzard who mostly play and sing music from the UK and Ireland, France and Sweden. All traditions are welcome! This session will be led by and centre women, marginalised genders and LGBTQ people, and everyone is welcome to join. We'll also be thinking about how to support newer players and singers. For more information, check out the website [here], and the Facebook Event [here]
Electric/electronica tunes session
When: Saturday @ 18:00 - 20:00 - Where: The Forest
Hosted by Lee, Sel and, Ben. Come and play a wide range of trad and non-trad tunes with us. Traditional instruments welcome too! A small PA will be available, but if you’d like plugging in, please bring appropriate cables to a full sized jack that are reasonably long.
Treebeard concert
When: Saturday @ 20:00 - 00:00 - Where: The Perch
Catch local band Treebeard at our fantastic partner venue The Perch on Saturday night!
Sunday
Colourchord with jon Boden
When: Sunday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: The Perch
Join Jon Boden and try out a new experimental approach to social singing. Suitable for all abilities & words provided! More information at http://colourchord.org/
Workshop With roger Watson
When: Sunday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: The Perch
Join Roger Watson for the second of two workshops! He’ll help you with musical infrastructure by running through how to build dance tune arrangements from a rhythmic and harmonic structure, using well know tunes and some less predictable chord sequences. Suitable for all instruments!
Tenor Guitar with Gina Le Faux
When: Sunday @ 11:00 - 12:00 - Where: The Perch, Upstairs
Join acclaimed musician, songwriter, performer, entertainer and Luthier, Gina Le Faux focusing for their second workshop of the weekend, focussed on all things Tenor Guitar!
Suprise concert
When: Sunday @ 15:00 - 17:45 - Where: Shakespeare’s Bards Bar (Upstairs)
Join us for a staple event of Sessions Festival, hosted this year by James Fagan. Artists at this event are chosen by our Committee during the festival, so take a break and come see a selection of some of the best performers of the festival!
Old fashioned ceilidh
When: Sunday @ 18:00 - 20:00 - Where: Shakespeare’s Bards Bar (Upstairs)
Come and join in with the Old Fashioned Ceilidh, with Sarah and Doug. Bring a tune, a song, a story, a poem, a dance you'd like to call, or just bring yourselves and join in with it all!