RISING stars have joined the line-up for this year’s Baring-Gould Folk Weekend, which takes place this weekend.

The event was started by Devon-based music and education charity Wren Music 19 years ago, in response to requests for an annual folk festival, by organising a series of concerts around the rural villages of West Devon. Since then, the festival has found its home in Okehampton, which will host the 2018 event in town centre venues this weekend (October 26 to 28).

Organisers said the Baring-Gould Folk Weekend and Song School had been the starting block behind the careers of many of the most successful young folk stars today, notably Sam Lee, and the event continued to attract some of the country’s finest singers.

This year is no exception, with rising stars such as Georgia Lewis and Matt Quinn joining established folk legends Polly Bolton and Phil Beer and the professional singers and musicians from Wren Music.

Marilyn Tucker, artistic director for Wren Music, said: ‘We’re very excited by our line-up this year. It’s a lovely mix and we’re particularly pleased to be able to bring some of the country’s most talented young singers to the event. Georgia and Matt are part of the new generation of traditional folk singers that have emerged in recent years and people who come to see them have a real treat in store.’

The Baring-Gould Festival is named after a clergyman, the Rev Sabine Baring-Gould, the famous song collector from Lew Trenchard. Baring-Gould travelled the South West in the 19th century, ‘saving’ thousands of songs by listening to them being played and sung by locals and writing them all down.

The festival creates an orchestra and choir in the space of two days, to the standard where they can perform in front of an audience at the farewell concert. Polly Bolton takes the choir rehearsals and Wren fiddle player Becki Driscoll takes the orchestra rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday mornings, ahead of the concert in Sunday evening. Anyone can go along and sign up to be a part of it.

With the singing club on the Saturday night and folk clubs on the Friday and Sunday nights, there’s a chance for singers and musicians to put their names on the board to perform alongside the artists.

For those who prefer to take in the music rather than take part, one of the highlights of the weekend is a Sunday lunchtime concert headed by Phil Beer, best known as half of the South West folk duo Show of Hands. Phil is a multi-instrumentalist and singer and is patron of the festival.

Later on the Sunday afternoon, Matt and Georgia join Wren’s Paul Wilson for a concert of Sussex folk songs. Also on Sunday, there is a concert of sea shanties and, as part of the events aimed at encouraging local families to come along, the annual conker championship takes place at Charter Hall.

On Saturday evening the ceilidh at the Charter Hall is led by electric folk band Banter and follows a Harvest Supper concert. Earlier on the Saturday, Banter are holding a ceilidh dance workshop so concert-goers can perfect their moves.

Throughout the weekend, Wren’s professionals will be hosting a number of workshops and concerts, including excerpts from their acclaimed production ‘Gothic Dartmoor’ — South West singer and violinist Hannah Cumming guests with them. Hannah also performs in her duo Dyer:Cumming with Wren musician Jon Dyer.

Visit the website to view the full programme and book tickets at www.wrenmusic.co.uk/Baring-Gould

The website also has information about the week-long song school that follows it, this year led by James Findlay.