Award-winning Chesterfield singer-guitarist Blair Dunlop plays opening concert at Derby Folk Festival

Blair Dunlop will be performing at The Old Bell Hotel, Derby, as part of the Derby Folk Festival.

Award-winning folk star Blair Dunlop will perform at a folk festival in his home county of Derbyshire.

SInger-songwriter and guitarist Blair will be among the big names at Derby Folk Festival which brings seven concerts to The Old Bell Hotel from September 29 to October 1, 2023.

Blair, who hails from Chesterfield, has released five albums, two EPs and toured in Europe and Australia. He won the Horizon Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2013.

He will be playing at the Derby hotel on Friday in a concert that starts at 7.30pm. Topping the bill is Leveret, composed of exceptional performers Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron. Leveret’s playing is relaxed and natural, inviting audiences to share in music-making that is spontaneous and timeless.

Derby Folk Festival concerts at The Old Bell Hotel will continue as follows:

Saturday, September 30 at 12 noon – Frankie Archer, Jim Moray;

September 30 at 4.30pm – Maddie Morris, Winter Wilson.

September 30 at 8.30pm – Threaded, The Magpies (duo).

Sunday, October 1 at 12 noon – Old Spot, Kieran Towers and Charlotte Carrivick.

October 1 at 4pm – Trish and Mark Kerrison with Fi Fraser: From Como Boy to Coram Girl, Katie Spencer.

October 1 at 8pm – Doug Eunson and Sarah Matthews, Tarren.

To book tickets for the concerts, go to www.derbylive.co.uk/whats-on/derby-folk

This will be the seventeenth edition of the festival which began in 2007. Folk festival concerts have been hosted in various locations across the city including the Assembly Rooms, Guildhall Theatre, a marquee in the Market Place and Derby Cathedral.