5 must-see acts at Cottingham Folk Festival

Cottingham Folk Festival is back for its third year. We’ve rounded up our top must-see acts.

The four-day music event will see a number of popular artists, local and international, take to the stage at several small venues in the village. It’s a family-friendly event, although under 14s should be accompanied by an adult.

There are almost 30 acts across the long weekend, but we’ve picked out five to get you started. Please bear in mind that each event is ticketed individually.

Scouting for Girls

At the top of the bill at this year’s Cottingham Folk Festival are indie veterans, Scouting for Girls. First established a decade ago, the four-piece is celebrating by putting on some special shows around the country.

Famous for catchy hits such as ‘It’s Not About You’, ‘She’s So Lovely’ and ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, the band is used to sell-out tours and packed venues. The intimate gig at The Civic Hall in Cottingham is bound to be a night to remember.

Scouting for Girls perform at The Civic Hall on Sunday 27 August. Doors open at 7:15pm. They will be supported by The Dunwells and Fiona Lee.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Beginning her colourful career in the 1990s as lead singer of indie-rock band, Theaudience, Sophie Ellis-Bextor (pictured) has since had widespread success in her own right.

With five Top 40 albums and several timeless disco classics in her back catalogue, the singer-songwriter is rightfully headlining Cottingham Folk Festival. You may recognise her hit singles ‘Murder on The Dancefloor’ and ‘Take Me Home’, but she’ll also be performing numbers from her latest record ‘Familia’, which also boasts her distinctive dance beats and vocals.

Sophie performs at The Civic Hall on Thursday 24 August. Doors open at 7pm. She will be supported by Emma Stevens and Emma King. Tickets are £32 in advance or £35 on the door.

Lucy Spraggan

Lucy first appeared on popular TV show The X-Factor in 2012 and was an instant hit among judges. Although she had to leave the process early due to illness, she still made a huge impact on the British public.

Her track ‘Last Night’ ended up in the UK singles chart and the subsequent album also ranked pretty high. Lucy has recently released a record, ‘I Hope You Don’t Mind Me Writing’, so expect to hear something new at the show in Cottingham.

Lucy Spraggan will perform at The Civil Hall on Sunday 27 August. Doors open at 1:30pm. Her support includes Beth McCarthy and Fudgey. Tickets for this show are £16.50 in advance or £20 on the door.

The Mighty and the Moon

Hull-based The Mighty and The Moon will warm up the audience for Jess and the Bandits with their vibrant music. Formed in 2014, the five-piece has fans stretching across Yorkshire and even into the US.

Their Alt Country and Alt Folk genre is the perfect mix for modern folk fans. Last year, Emma Fee and Benjamin Wall joined the line-up, so audiences at Cottingham Folk Festival can expect a fresh new take on some of their old tunes.

The Mighty and the Moon will be performing at The Darby and Joan Hall on Sunday 27 August. Doors open at 7:15pm and tickets are £16.50 in advance or £20 on the door.

Emma Stevens

Acclaimed multi-talented singer-songwriter Emma Stevens has enjoyed a blossoming career since going solo in 2012. She has toured seven times, attended numerous festivals, and provided support for Simply Red and Passenger.

Her new album, ‘To My Roots’, has just been completed and we can’t wait to hear it at the festival this weekend.

Emma Stevens will be performing at The Civic Hall in Cottingham on Thursday 24 August. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £32.50 in advance or £35 on the door.

Further information can be found on the Cottingham Folk Festival website.