Folk on the Pier festival in Cromer to focus on heritage and music for fringe events

Musical and comedy act Wynndebagge will perform as part of the Folk on the Pier fringe events. Picture: SUBMITTED (Image: Archant)

Cromer's Folk on the Pier, which is in its 17th year, is returning to the seaside town between Friday May 8 and Sunday May 10.

Alongside the main afternoon and evening musical concerts on the pier, visitors will be able to watch a variety of performers at different Cromer venues for the festival's fringe event.

Open mic sessions form the backbone of the event which will also include set performances.

And on Sunday, acts will be based around heritage themes.

Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND) members will perform poetry, songs, comedy and monologues in the traditional dialect at the Cliftonville Hotel, on the seafront, between 1.15pm and 2.15pm.

Anyone can watch and take part, even if they are not FOND members, and the group wants people from different areas of Britain to show off their local accents.

At the Albion, on Church Street, Urban Folk Theory will host a full programme of events over the weekend culminating with a session by Norfolk bluegrass favourites Hayley Moyses' Britgrass Three.

On Sunday afternoon the Cliftonville will hold a concert with festival patron Ashley Hutchings and the well-established Richard Davies' Memorial session of song and step dance. The White Horse, on West Street, will host singers, instrumentalists and bands including Suffolk folk rock band the Bounty Hounds on Saturday night.

Raunchier styles can be found at the King's Head, on the High Street, on Saturday night and Sunday lunchtime with the Cajun Dawgs and blues band Split Whiskers.

Comedy musician Wynndebagge will perform at the Old Rock Shop, on Hamilton Road, on Saturday night.

And Richard Penguin's Tea Time Showcase will present a heady mix of styles at the Hotel De Paris, on the High Street. For more information visit www.folkonthepier.co.uk and to book festival tickets call 01263 512495.