The summer is nearly here and that means its festival time.

Wath Festival is fast approaching its 40^th birthday and has been bringing live music, dance and performing arts to South Yorkshire since it started in 1972.

This year’s event is taking place from 27^th April – 2^nd May 2011, with a full programme of music concerts, workshops, competitions and community events.

2011 has proved to be another great year for the festival and was named as 2^nd Runner Up in the FATEA Magazine ‘Festival of the Year 2010’, missing out on first place to Cambridge Folk Festival.

The festival has a reputation for bringing quality live music acts from all around the world to the Montgomery Hall, it’s main concert venue and this year the line-up includes: Frances Black, the Tannahill Weavers, festival patron John Tams with Barry Coope, Drever McCusker & Woomble, Chris Wood, Jez Lowe, Anna Shannon, Uiscedwr, Elbow Jane, Bernard Wrigley, Kieran Halpin, Charlie Barker & Harriet Bartlett, Holly Taymar and Flaxenby. Pete Morton to be confirmed.

Not only does the festival bring a whole host of acts to the region, it has a large community festival that takes place throughout the town on Saturday 30^th April. This year Wath welcomes a new addition to it’s venues… The Moonarooni, a large, colourful structure that will delight your senses with an exiting audiovisual experience.

You’ll find a range of performing artists throughout the town, suitable for all the family, including Wath Morris Team, Barnsley Samba Band, Rock & Dhol, Vuka Africa Art with stallholders, community workshops and much more.

The festival is also giving performers young and old, a chance to showcase their talents with two separate competitions.

If you’re a young performer aged 16 – 24 who plays folk, roots or acoustic music you can enter the Wath Young Performers Award 2011 and be in with the chance of performing on the main stage at the Sunday evening concert on 1^st May 2011 before the headlining artists and also win a cash prize. To enter please request an application form by calling The Partnership Media on 0114 2361040 or email info@thepartnershipmedia.co.uk. The closing date for applications is 16^th April 2011.

For the more mature performer, you can enter the Silver Roots Competition and be in with a chance of winning a cash prize. For more information please contact Lou Marriot on 0114 2845922.

Wath Festival is sponsored by: Arts Council England, Next, Yorkshire & Clydesdale Bank Foundation,  Ringway, Woodgrove Surgery, Market Surgery, Braisby Construction and Bramall Trust in association with the Park Inn Rotherham and The Partnership Media. Media Partner: Mercury Newspaper.

FESTIVAL TICKETLINE: 0798 2658467
WEBSITE: www.wathfestival.org.uk

For more information please contact:
CHARLIE @ THE PARTNERSHIP MEDIA
Tel: 0114 2361040 or Email: info@thepartnershipmedia.co.uk