Somerset radio station GWS has broadcast a programme profiling the 2025 Priddy Folk Festival, offering listeners music and interviews with performers and insights into the event’s role within the local community.
The broadcast is available on Mixcloud via the link below:
The programme features tracks by Festival performers and interviews with musicians, dancers, organisers, volunteers and attendees. Many of the conversations are with local people, and the programme highlights the relaxed vibe that draws people year after year.
The show’s playlist showcases the Festival’s range, from traditional folk acts to world music. The show opens with a track by the Drystones, followed by a song from Tarren. Radio host Jem also interviews Jali Bakary Konteh, who plays the 21-string kora, members of the band PerKelt, who describe their evolution from medieval music to their current sound, and London-based singing group the Standing Stones, who started around a kitchen table.
He also talks to members of the London grime & folk fusion project Rooftop Assembly, whose dynamic performance was a big hit with Priddy’s knowledgeable music audience. This critically-acclaimed seven-piece band meshes the music of folk artist James Riley and grime performer MC Kayes Mensah. They gained national attention after they started playing and streaming gigs from a London rooftop during lockdown.
“best one in England”
The show’s host also speaks with some of the many volunteers who help organise the Festival. Site manager John, who has worked with the Festival since 2002, when it consisted of a single tent, describes how the event has grown while maintaining its community focus. The site manager proudly declares that Priddy is “the second best festival in the UK and the best one in England.”
Creating community bonds
Local residents feature prominently throughout the show. The Priddy Singers are a local choir that has grown from 30 to nearly 100 members over the past decade. Their performance ended with a community sing-along that welcomed festival-goers to join in.
Unlike larger events, Priddy offers free access to fringe performances, dance displays and the market areas. Visitors describe the atmosphere as relaxed and stress-free
With its mix of music and conversation, the GWS radio show documents both the practical aspects of organising a community festival and the significance it holds for local participants. Overall, the programme reveals that the Priddy Folk Festival has mastered the art of staying authentic while embracing new and innovative performers.