Cambridge Folk Festival

On Sunday, Lammas Eve, I went to the Cambridge Folk Festival for the first time.  Massively overcrowded in a very small space, something I’m not keen on, it was still a fun day involving lots of Pimm’s, cider and ale with of course a picnic!

My picnic

Interesting things I saw there, aside from bands, were this troupe of brightly coloured Molly Dancers known as Gog Magog Molly, named after some hills near Cambridge.  Molly dancing is a traditional East Anglian dance distinct from Morris Dancing, which died out in the 1930’s and was revived in the 1970’s.  No sticks or bells are involved but instead very different steps, brightly coloured costumes, painted faces and rebellious behaviour.  Associated with Plough Monday, the first after Epiphany, it involved the ploughboys touring around the village landowners offering dances in exchange for money, when they should have been starting work.  Anyone refusing had an unfortunate trick played on them, such as a large furrow ploughed into their lawn.  The disguises were needed as they hoped to still gain work with the landowners in the spring.

Gog Magog Molly Dancers

Molly Band

My favourite Molly

Also I loved these two giant foxes made out of willow that decorated the site...

Willow Fox Banjo Player

Willow Fox Fidder

...and this wonderful mannequin girl, don’t know who she is or where she’s from but would love to find out.

You never know what you will discover!