A message from our Festival Patron Mark Radcliffe

So once again thrill-seekers we find ourselves following the lay-lines back to mythical, mystical Middlewich.

Hopefully by June the ambient temperatures will have clawed their way into double figures and the snow drifts been reduced to manageable levels, so we can concentrate on the serious business of revelry and good vibes. Once again we raise our trusty tankards to Dave and all at the Middlewich Politbureau Culture and Counter-Espionage Unit who have somehow managed to avoid the national moratorium on fun and get another festival up and running.

Some thoroughly marvellous established acts on the folk scene are here this year ensuring an atmosphere of unbridled hedonism around the town, but there are also newcomers aplenty re-enforcing the commitment of all at the festival to give a platform to up and coming original talent. And those acts, though booked on artistic merit, do tend to be a bit cheaper - which is nice. We're all on a budget these days eh? Well, except for premiership footballers and the odd oligarch who are, mercifully, thin on the ground in the Middlewich area.

As for myself, well I'll be back in action at The White Bear in their admirably appointed boutique venue upstairs with my new band The Foes. Join us for an evening of regret, loss, broken hearts and the odd dead dog. An evening of abject misery assured. Be warned though, numbers are limited so book early to ensure disappointment.

Seriously, it's great to be back and I look forward to sharing a foaming pint on some lock gate with you over the weekend'.

Cheers, Mark

Mark Radcliffe