Cropredy Convention festival to return next month after covid-hiatus

After a two-year hiatus, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention returns next month.

The three-day family-friendly music festival was last staged in 2019 and after two postponements due to Covid-19, the event is back bigger, better and brighter than ever.

Cropredy Convention takes place on farmland on the outskirts of Cropredy village on the border between Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire and is hosted by folk-rock stalwarts Fairport Convention.

In traditional style, the band will open the festival on Thursday, August 11, with a short acoustic set before headlining the final day on Saturday, August 13.

This year, Fairport are joined by Thursday headliners Trevor Horn Band and on Friday by Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited.

Trevor Horn is one of the most influential producers in popular music and has worked with Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, Pet Shop Boys, Seal and Robbie Williams among many others.

He has had a hand in hits including Video Killed The Radio Star, Owner Of A Lonely Heart and All The Things She Said.

Hackett is one of Britain's most accomplished and celebrated guitarists, drawing on influences as diverse as jazz, world and blues to recreate the unique sound of prog-rock legends Genesis

Joining hosts Fairport Convention and headliner Trevor Horn on the opening day will be Clannad, Edward II and London Bluegrass outfit Thumping Tommys.

Joining Steve Hackett on the Friday will be indie folk rockers Turin Brakes who will be making their first appearance at Cropredy, The Sharon Shannon Trio, The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams, legendary Welsh singer songwriter Martyn Joseph, Home Service, Emily Barker and the winner of 2019’s BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Maddie Morris.

Saturday’s traditional extended headline set from Fairport will see the band’s 1970 line-up playing the whole of their Full House LP as well as its current line up playing a wealth of new and old material.

They will be joined on the final day by Fairport Convention co-founder Richard Thompson, Matthew Baartmans Experience, Rosalie Cunningham, Barnsley’s comedy folk act The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, Holy Moly & The Crackers and Mercury nominee Seth Lakeman.

Fairport Convention formed in 1967 and since 1998 the line up has been based around Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders, Chris Leslie and Gerry Conway.

The bands 29th album Shuffle and Go was released in 2020.

Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now and cost £160 for an adult three-day ticket.

Adult two-day tickets for the Friday and Saturday cost £130 and one day adult tickets for the Saturday cost £80.

Three-day camping passes cost £50 or £45 for two days.

Three day ‘Teen tickets’ for children between 12 and 17-years-old cost £75.

Admission for children 11 and under is free. To book, visit fairportconvention.com/tickets