Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 saw Swaledale Festival offering a smaller programme of music, art exhibitions and guided walks which we spread over a six-month period. Audiences were socially distanced and so the capacities in the venues were smaller, but there was no compromise on quality.

The line-up included folk superstars The Young'uns; mezzo-soprano Lotte Betts-Dean with guitarist Sean Shibe; harpist Catrin Finch with kora master Seckou Keita; Solus Trumpet Ensemble; Scottish piper Brìghde Chaimbeul; cellist Moray Welsh, and visual artists Eithne Henson and James Owen Thomas. At the end of May the Festival put on a three day Family Fun Weekend on the Green in Reeth, with folk music, dancers, spectacular kites, brass bands, workshops for children and adults, quoits, and even a maypole - see photos here.

We are grateful to all our supporters and volunteers for helping us to bring some much needed entertainment and culture to Dales audiences in a difficult year.

We will be back for our usual two-week extravaganza next year when the Festival will run from Saturday 28 May to Saturday 11 June. Be sure to put the dates in your diary. 2022 also happens to be the Festival 50th birthday, so expect some firm favourites and some exciting surprises. We will announce the programme in the new year, so please check back in!

The film was made by Howell Film and features music from a track called Bling Bling from the album Plum Lane by The Matt Wates Sextet. The piece was written and arranged by Matt Wates.