Folk by the Oak festival surprises in Hatfield Park

Mike Scott of The Waterboys on stage at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield Park. (Image: John Andrews)

Headlined by The Waterboys, the annual event brought wall to wall music and festival fun to the leafy Queen Elizabeth Oak Field in the grounds of Hatfield House.

Ticket holders enjoyed a ‘festival in a day’ with 13 performances across two stages, and were welcomed to a world of talented musicians, inspirational artists, family-friendly fun, and mouth-watering street food.

The Main Stage at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield Park. (Image: John Andrews)

This year’s festival held a few surprises, some planned, some not so.

A couple of scheduled acts - Kim Carnie and Nick Mulvey - were unable to make perform, but others stepped up to fill the two gaps in the programme.

Kim Carnie was unable to reach the festival due to transport issues, but Acorn Stage MC and Willow charity ambassador Eirra stepped in to ensure the audience could still enjoy a magical performance by a sublime singer-songwriter.

Eirra playing Folk by the Oak's Acorn Stage in Hatfield Park. (Image: Tammy Marlar)

Eirra, who opened the Acorn Stage last year, also performed a ‘Secret Set’ in the festival’s Family Area later in the evening, attracting an intimate but enraptured audience.

She also shared with them how Welwyn Hatfield-based Willow - Folk by the Oak’s charity partner - had supported her during a battle with serious illness.

A rainbow over the Folk by the Oak festival site in Hatfield Park (Image: John Andrews)

“2023 was the year we all had to ‘go with the flow’,” said FBTO festival director Caroline Slough.

“As a festival we pride ourselves on giving our audience a whole day of back-to-back sublime music and thanks to the incredible musicians on site and our amazing festival crew we were still able to deliver.”

The Acorn Stage was opened, as has become tradition at Folk by the Oak, by the London Youth Folk Ensemble.

The London Youth Folk Ensemble on the Acorn Stage at Folk by the Oak 2023. (Image: John Andrews)

LYFE brings together committed young folk musicians alongside professional musicians to create and perform folk music from the British Isles and beyond.

“Since 2014, when we introduced the Acorn Stage to our festival, we have welcomed with open arms the brilliant LYFE to perform our Acorn opening set,” said Caroline.

“This is where it all begins, this is how music grows and thrives and we are proud to provide a platform for these budding artists to enjoy the experience and thrill of a live festival performance!”

Singer-songwriter Flo Perlin was next to take to the Acorn Stage, a storyteller with a sublime and emotive voice who held the audience in rapt attention as she took them on a journey through her Iraqi and Belarusian heritage.

The organisers of Folk by the Oak have created a unique set up with their intimate parkland arena, allowing the audience to ‘flip-flop’ between their two stages and enjoy a whole day of back-to-back music and never missing a set.

The view of the Acorn Stage at Folk by the Oak. (Image: James Andrews)

As Flo wrapped up her blissful set on the Acorn Stage, returning to open the festival’s Main Stage was Lady Maisery, their beautiful performance featuring music from their new album Tender.

A new trio combining the acclaimed talents of folk singer Rosie Hodgson, traditional fiddler Rowan Piggott, and guitarist-flautist Philippe Barnes following in the Acorn tent.

The Longest Johns took to the Main Stage next with an exuberant live show, following by award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist Nick Hart on the smaller second stage.

This is the Kit on the Main Stage at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield Park. (Image: Tammy Marlar)

Featuring tracks from both the acclaimed Off Off On and newly released Careful of your Keepers, This is the Kit’s first performance of the day on the Main Stage was full of warmth, energy and sparkle.

And talking of ‘sparkle’, the festival’s Family Area was full to the brim with young people enjoying unicorns, fairies, puppet parades, giant kaleidoscopes, bubbles, henna art, facepainting, didgeridoos, the climbing wall, archery, yoga, dancing, storytelling and much more.

Yoga at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield Park. (Image: Tammy Marlar)

Folk by the Oakers also enjoyed the many colourful vintage and craft stalls on site and the local street food vendors serving everything from delicious Caribbean curries, Greek souvlaki to Greedy Vegan burgers.

A large selection of real ales from Tring Brewery and personalised festival cocktails washed it all down a treat.

Eirra playing Folk by the Oak's Acorn Stage in Hatfield Park. (Image: Tammy Marlar)

After Eirra’s impromptu Acorn Stage appearance, the music returned to the Main Stage with the incredible Sona Jobarteh and her band, with an irresistible set that had the audience on their feet, singing along and smiling wide.

Although her music shines with Gambian influences, Sona is not one to follow tradition for tradition’s sake.

Sona Jobarteh on the main stage at Folk by the Oak in Hatfield Park. (Image: Tammy Marlar)

Africa’s first female griot kora virtuoso, unusually for a kora player Sona is backed by a full band of electric guitar, bass and two percussionists. Sona herself plays percussion, bass, guitar, and cello as well as her beloved kora. 

The penultimate set on the festival’s second stage was given over to the driving energy, tight vocal harmonies and dazzling instrumental interplay of The Often Herd, with an unusual and memorable set that transcended the traditional boundaries of bluegrass.

Another line-up reshuffle followed. Billed as headliners for the Acorn Stage, Cut Capers boldly stepped up to fill the Main Stage gap when Nick Mulvey had to make the difficult and very late decision that he was simply not well enough to perform.

Cut Capers on the main stage at Folk by the Oak 2023 in Hatfield Park (Image: Tammy Marlar)

Despite a fraught journey to the festival, Cut Capers delivered one of their trademark live performances that not even the evening showers could dampen.

“Folk by the Oak was up on its feet in moments, dancing along to the energetic and feel-good vibes” said Caroline.

“Cut Capers lit up our Main Stage and we all loved it!”

For the final twist to the festival proceedings, Cut Capers' headliner slot on the Acorn Stage was filled with a mesmerising second set of the day by the remarkable This is the Kit.

Having performed just hours earlier on the Main Stage, they conjured up an entirely fresh set list to the delight of their fans, both established and newly converted.

The Waterboys on stage at Folk by the Oak (Image: John Andrews)

As the festival drew to a close, it was Mike Scott's legendary The Whole of the Moon band The Waterboys who brought the show to a euphoric end on the Main Stage.

Folk by the Oak returns to Hatfield Park in 2024 on Sunday, July 20.

Visit www.folkbytheoak.com for more on the festival.