Richmond MayFest

Richmond MayFest is a new event: a three-day festival focused on historical and traditional music taking place in multiple venues in and around Richmond, in North Yorkshire. Richmond's a great small town in the Yorkshire Dales, with a magnificent Norman castle and a gorgeous cobbled market place ringed by Georgian buildings.

Last year, 2021, was Richmond's 950the birthday and (despite COVID!) we celebrated the anniversary in high style with the year-long Celebrate Richmond 950 programme of event. I was specifically involved in organising the ‘950 Years of Music’ event in October 2021. This event was a great success that attracted hundreds of visitors to the castle plus many others to varied performances in and around the Market Place. Here’s a sample of the feedback received for 950 Years of Music:

• ‘Gem of an event’ 
• ‘Real beer, real musicians and real history in Richmond; what’s not to love'
• Been a brilliant day. Lovely hearing medieval music played in the castle. Really good atmosphere and very relaxing.’ 
• ‘It was a great event. Sitting in the castle, in the sun, being entertained by a host of musicians and entertainers. Thanks everyone.’
• ‘It was such a fantastic event’ 
• ‘This was wonderful to see and hear in the town, made a great atmosphere with the strolling musicians’ 
• ‘Really enjoyed this event.’ 
• ‘It was marvellous’ 

How could we resist doing it all again? We decided to work towards an annual festival in Richmond along similar lines – that is, an event full of music taking place in various locations across the town. The musical focus is traditional and historical music and dancing, which is very fitting for Richmond’s unique blend of medieval and Georgian history. And it's going to be a community event, involving as many local people, community groups, venues and businesses as feasible. We’re looking for people to work with us and help ensure the success of Richmond MayFest in 2022 and into the future.  

About me, I guess. My name's Gill and I'm a medieval musician in the group Trouvere. I'm based just outside Richmond and I really love the town. It's absolutely stunning with its castle high on a crag over the rushing River Swale, and its cobbled market square -  it's just the perfect place for historical and traditional music. I'm also the director of Medieval Music in the Dales, the UK's only festival of medieval music. I started that with a crowd funder back in 2016 and I've built a great community around that event. Now I want to do the same for my town, for its many musicians and dancers, and for the wider network of freelance musicians - who need all the platforms they can get after the last two lean years. 

Richmond has amazing musical resources, many of whom are already signed up to Richmond MayFest, including:

• Richmondshire Orchestra
• Richmond Choral Society (just one of several community choirs)
• Richmond on Swale Morris Men
• Pellingmans' Saraband, the internationally famous lute and viol duo of Jacob Heringman and Susanna Pell are based in the town
• Medieval minstrels Trouvere are based just outside the town

Plus music and dance schools, a folk club, an operatic society, not to mention the most complete working Georgian playhouse in Britain, Richmond's Georgian Thaeatre Royal! The MayFest will provide a platform for all that want to take part, will promote community music across genres, and work with venues and businesses to showcase our wonderful town.

Public funding is never a given these days, perhaps especially for smaller scale events off the beaten track. Help us make Richmond MayFest a success now and into the future.

All donations are welcome and we have rewards to suit those who feel like coming along to MayFest, and those who won't be able to make it. Thanks for reading!