2023 Programme
Lowender Festival
26-29 October 2023
We are so excited for this year’s festival programme! With a brilliant roster of of performers from Cornwall and across the Celtic world, taking place across 9 venues over 4 days – there’s something for everyone! Whether you’re a seasoned Lowender attendee or just starting to dip your toes in!
Ticketed events have a ticket button – free events don’t, so please just show up and get involved as much as you’d like.
Lowender is happening in a range of venues across Redruth – check the map for all our different locations!
Thursday 26th OCTOBER
HATTERS COFFEE HOUSE
- 13.00 – Yeth an Werin | Cornish Language Conversation Group
For all Cornish language learners and speakers.
Redruth School
- 19:30 – Thriving Traditions Showcase | Displetyans Hengovyow Seweni
- Shining a spotlight on exciting developments in the Cornish cultural scene including new acts, new material and rising stars of Cornish/Celtic music. This concert will feature: Finley Bray, Kana, Kekezza, Richard Trethewey and Taran Spalding-Jenkin.
- 21:30 – Music / Ilow
- Enjoy music from the talented Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe and Daniel Quayle.
- 22:00 – Mini InterCeltic Ceilidh / Troyl InterKeltek Byghan
- Join the mini interCeltic ceilidh to get this year’s dancing underway.
- 23:00 – Acoustic Music and Session / Rakka Ilow Akoustek
- Stay on after the concert to enjoy an informal acoustic music and song session, bring your instruments and singing voices or just enjoy the atmosphere. Kicked off by Jen Dyer and Toby Kessell.
friday 27th OCTBER
Fore Street
- Free event!
- 10:00 – 13:00 – Street Entertainment / Didhan Stret
- Entertainment from local and visiting performers – check out the free daytime programme now!
ST rumons social club, town bar
- Free event!
- Rakka Ilow – Music Sessions / Rakka Ilow
- 13.00 – 14.00 – Breton music session with PLACK
- 14.15 – 15.15 – Scottish music session with The Cabar Fèidh Collective
- 15.30 – 16.30 – Manx music session with Elizabeth Blythe and Daniel Quayle
Redruth School
- 16.15 – 18.30 – Dance Workshops / Hweljiow Dons
- 16.15 – 17.15 – Breton Dance Workshop
- 17.30 – 18.30 – Scottish Highland Dance Workshop
Redruth School
- 17.30 – 19.30 – Happy Hour / Prys Lowen
- Freshly made sweet and savoury crêpes and galettes, prepared by our friends Catherine and Patrick from Brittany, will be available from 5.30 – 9pm and our fully stocked bar will be open.
- Emma from Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek will be on hand to help you make your own Cornish language badges and bracelets.
- At 6.30pm there will be a Fashion Show by the young people of Redruth on the theme of Cornish ‘Saints and Sinners’, with all pieces made from recycled materials.
- Artist Sovay Berriman will be set up in Room 99 for a workshop and screening around her Gwyrdh/Glas project.
- From 7.30pm you will also be able to see a screening of CORE by Abigail Reynolds in the Drama Studio.
- 19.30 – Dance and Music / Dons hag Ilow
- 19.30 – Manx Ceilidh with Daniel Quayle, Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe and caller Caitlin Allinson
- 20.40 – Irish Dance Display with Flanagans School of Irish Dance
- 21.00 – Scottish Ceilidh with The Cabar Fèidh Collective
- 22.00 – Scottish Highland Dance Display with The Cabar Fèidh Collective
- 22.20 – Cornish Troyl with Splann
- 23.30 – Acoustic Music Session / Rakka Ilow Acoustek
- After the dancing finishes stay on to enjoy an informal acoustic music session, bring your instruments and singing voices or just enjoy the atmosphere. Kicked off by Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe and Daniel Quayle.
saturday 28th OCTOBER
Fore street & Market Hall
- Free event!
- 10.00 – 16.00 – Street Entertainment and mini Cider Festival / Didhan Stret ha Gool Sider Byghan
- Entertainment from local and visiting performers from 10am – 4pm in Fore Street and with a rolling programme of entertainment and mini cider festival in Market Hall. Full daytime programme here!
ST rumons social club, town bar
- Music Workshops / Hweljiow Ilow
- 10.00 – 11.00 – Fiddle Technique with Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe
- Elizabeth will touch on a variety of fiddle techniques suitable for all skill levels, including elements of ornamentation and bow technique.
- 11.00 – 12.15 – Guitar Accompaniment Workshop with Daniel Quayle
- Daniel will be presenting a few aspects of tune accompaniment such as right hand technique for different types of tunes and some guiding principles for chord choice
- 13:00 – 16.30 – Music Sessions / Rakka Ilow
- Free event!
- 13.00 – 14.00 – Welsh music session with AVANC
14.15 – 15.15 – Cornish music session with Jen Dyer and Toby Kessell
15.30 – 16.30 – Irish music session with Krelys
albany rugby club
- 10.00 – 13.30 – Dance Workshops / Hweljiow Dons
- 10.00 – 11.00 – Welsh Clog Dance Workshop with AVANC
- 11.15 – 12.15 – Cornish Dance Workshop with Kekezza
- 12.30 – 13.30 – Manx Dance Workshop with Caitlin Allinson
kresen kernow
- 13:00 – 15.00 – Cornish Music Symposium / Kestadhel Ilow Kernewek | Music and the Cornish Diaspora / Ilow a’n Keskar Kernewek
- The great migrations of the 19th and 20th centuries leave us with communities and individuals around the world who strongly identify with Cornwall and the Cornish. Some music traditions like the Cornish Carols travelled with migrants , songs like Trelawny and Camborne helped maintain and express their links with the homeland, and for some their Cornish heritage provides musical inspiration. We explore these three threads.
- This symposium is brought to you by the Cornish National Music Archive which is a collaborative project between the Institute of Cornish Studies and Lowender.
St Andrew’s Church
- 16.00 – The Prophecy of Merlin / An Darghan a Verdhin
- The Prophecy of Merlin is a fast-moving adventure story rooted in Cornish history and folklore. Set in 936, when the Cornish were burned out of Exeter, it tells the tale of a Cornish family and the recovery of a precious Cornish book stolen by the Saxons. Suitable for all ages.
- Brought to you by Mike O’Connor (OBE) and Barbara Griggs. Mike and Barbara’s ‘Return to Lyonesse’, won a British Award for Storytelling Excellence: ‘a storytelling BAFTA’. They have headlined at Sidmouth, Whitby, Festival at the Edge, and many more folk and storytelling festivals.
Redruth School (main hall)
- 17.30 – 19.30 – Happy Hour / Prys Lowen
- Freshly made sweet and savoury crepes and galettes, prepared by our friends Catherine and Patrick from Brittany, will be available from 5.30 – 9pm. Our fully stocked bar will be open.
- Emma from Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek will be on hand to help you make your own Cornish languages badges and bracelets.
- Artist Sovay Berriman will bet set up in Room 99 for a workshop and screening around her Gwyrdh/Glas project.
- From 7.30pm you will also be able to see a screening of CORE by Abigail Reynolds in the Drama Studio.
- ‘Perghenegi’: Youth Takeover Session 17.30 – 19.00 – Perghenegi means to ‘claim’ or ‘takeover’ in Cornish, and that’s exactly what this session will do! Open to anyone, but the expectation is for younger players and singers to be on the ‘inner circle’ selecting the content and setting the pace with a mixture of tunes and songs from Cornwall and across the Celtic world. The session will be hosted by Daniel Woodfield and Neil McMahon, with songs from Kessenyan. More details about the event here, including a selection of tunes you can expect to be played here.
- 19.30 – 23.30 – Dance and Music / Dons hag Ilow
- Main Hall
- 19.30 –Breton Fest Noz with PLACK
- 20.45 – Cornish Nos Lowen with Bagas Fellyon | Hunter’s Moon Dance Party / Kevewi Dons Loor Helgor
- Where myths come to life! As we enter the dark months of winter, we’ll warm our spirits and dance together under the full moon in this night of music, dance and revelry.
REDRUTH SCHOOL (sports hall)
- 20.15 – Manx Ceili with Daniel Quayle, Elizabeth Davidson-Blythe and Caller Caitlin Allinson
- 21.30 – Scottish Ceilidh with The Cabar Fèidh Collective
sunday 29th OCTOBER
Wesleyan Buildings
- Free event!
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10:30: Celtic Service / Gonis Keltek
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A special Celtic service held by Redruth Methodist Church.
St Rumons Town bar
- Charity fundraiser!
- 13.00 – Song Session / Rakka Kan
- See out the Lowender Celtic Festival in style at our Sunday Survivors Shout!
Hosted by the irrepressible Mel Babb, well known on the folk and shanty circuit for her love of sharing songs with a healthy dose of Cornish passion and fun, and featuring performances from Acapella Moonshine, Aggie Boys, Cork an Barbor, Kessanyan, Perraners, Stamp and Go.
This event is free charity fundraiser, so bring your pennies (pounds/notes!) to contribute to a good cause.
Please note there is no food available to buy at St Rumons, however you are welcome to bring your own food.
