A Traditional Community Dance

Pickering Memorial Hall | 7-10pm | Tickets £10

Join us for the perfect event on the eve of the Summer Solstice, in the joyful company of the Clodhoppers Ceilidh Band, to welcome in the night before the longest day and celebrate the height of summer together.

We’ll dance to traditional tunes as communities have for generations past, led by this excellent folk ensemble with full instructions given for each dance.

The word ceilidh comes from the Gaelic for gathering or party, and this event is about having fun and connecting with each other through music and dance. Expect a lively evening of reels, polkas, waltzes, jigs and more. Even if we meet at the start of the evening as strangers, joining in these welcoming group dances will have us laughing and celebrating together as new friends.

There will be seats around the edge of the hall to rest in between dances, and a bar serving alcohol and soft drinks will be open from 6.30pm until 10pm. Bring your own food if you’d like something to eat during the evening, or perhaps stop off at Potter Hill Fish & Chip shop just a few doors up the road on your way to the event.

No experience needed as all dances will be guided by an experienced caller. Whether you’ve been to many ceilidhs, or this will be your first, everyone is welcome.

If you’d like to get to know a few people before the ceilidh, please join us for a relaxed gathering in Pickering Book Tree from 5pm. This is free to attend, but please RSVP here.

We’ll mingle in the friendly atmosphere of the bookshop, with some drinks available and the opportunity to browse the books if you’d like to, and then walk to the Memorial Hall together as a group in good time before the ceilidh begins.

Anyone booked for the ceilidh is welcome for the pre-dance gathering, especially if you’re new to the area, haven’t been to a ceilidh before or aren’t sure if you know anyone else going to the dance. We hope that this will be a lovely way to feel comfortable and know some friendly faces before the evening fully starts.

Clodhoppers Ceilidh Band

Clodhoppers ceilidhs were first held from the mid 1970’s for expat audiences in Hong Kong. The caller, Richard Abrahall, has therefore five decades of experience. He will teach the dancers what they need to know before the band strikes up so beginners and more experienced dancers can enjoy traditional country music and dances some of which are centuries old.

The musicians are local, mostly Pickering based, and play a variety of instruments including fiddles, tin whistle, flute, accordion and the bodhran which drive the beat.

Although they are all skilled and experienced musicians the band that you will dance to has only been recently assembled and their debut was a sold out dance to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in March with a lot of positive feedback.

Tickets

£10 from the shop counter (currently cash only) or online at ticketsource.com

Direct link to booking page here

 
The Memorial Hall door and bar will be open from 6.30pm. The ceilidh start at 7pm and finish around 10pm.