51st Top Half Folk Festival, Newsletter #1
The Top End Folk Club is excited to announce the 51st Top Half Folk Festival, 9-12 June 2023 at Breeze Holiday Park, Mary River (formerly Mary River Wilderness Retreat).
While tickets are not yet on sale, if you plan to attend we recommend getting onto booking your accommodation soon as spaces are limited.
Details in 51st THFF Newsletter #1.
Festival tickets will be on sale early next year along with first round festival program announcements. We’d love to see you there.
50th Top Half Folk Festival News
The 50th Top Half Folk Festival will be held at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat on the Arnhem Highway over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend – 11-14 June 2021. The Festival will be organised by the Top End Folk Club
To get onto the Festival Mailing list send an email to secretary@topendfolkclub.org
For regular Top End Folk Club events, visit the calendar on the ‘What’s On’ page for the latest information about Dates, Locations, Events and Meetings.
Northern Railway Tracks – The Fettlers
CD produced by The Fettlers 2013
The Fettlers consists of Peter Bate, Mike Lane, Chris Pemberton, Fritz Risler, Tony Suttor and Pat Somers, all of whom have been associated with the Top End Folk Club for many years. The songs are focused on the North Australian Railway which ran from Birdum / Larrimah to Darwin until it closed in 1976. The Friends of the North Australian Railway are dedicated to preserving the heritage associated with the Top End’s first railway and prompted the production of the CD.
Available at Top End Folk Club events or contact Peter Bate on 08 8927 7040 – $20.00
String Bands and Shake Hands – a tribute to the life and music of Val McGinness – by Jeff Corfield
Published by Jeff Corfield, Townsville 2010
Val McGinness was one of the last of Darwin’s old string band musicians and died in 1988. Jeff was a leading Top End Folk Club member in the 1980s and through research and discussions with the McGinness family, the famous Mills sisters and other players from the time, has captured the essence of the String Band era in music and photographs. Musical transcription is by Tony Suttor
Available at Top End Folk Club events or contact Jeff Corfield on 0407 632 802 – $20.00
Top Half Festivals 1971-2012 – a brief history – by Peter Bate
Published by the Top End Folk Club, Darwin 2013
This is a comprehensive history of the Top Half festivals, including background to the folk clubs involved – mainly the Top End Folk Club, Central Australian Folk Society and Mt Isa Folk Club, with additional information on Katherine, Townsville, Tennant Creek and Jabiru. Provides information on the programs, artists and workshops.
Available at Top End Folk Club major events or contact Peter Bate on 08 8927 7040 – $10.00