Festival performers are selected

Umina Beach Folk Festival organisers have selected performers following the close of applications at the end of last month.

"Not only was the number of applicants much higher than expected, but the quality of applicants is also extremely high," said festival organiser Ms Marilyn Russell.

"We had an embarrassment of riches and the final selection committee spent a great deal of time deciding who would be selected to fill the limited number of spaces available," she said.

"In the end, we chose performers with the best sound and to provide the most variety."

Selected and confirmed applicants will be coming to Umina for the festival on the weekend of October 22 to 24 from as far as North Queensland.

They will be coming from several NSW country towns, Melbourne, the Illawarra, ACT, Newcastle as well as from the Central Coast.

Musical styles will include sounds from Ireland, the Middle East, Scotland, Greece, England, South America, Polynesia, 12th Century Europe as well as Colonial and contemporary Australia.

There'll be world music, bluegrass, bush music, blues, Celtic, classical, gypsy and indigenous music with over 150 performers taking part.

Concerts will be held simultaneously in Club Umina, Umina Public School, Everglades Country Club and Woy Woy Bowling Club.

There will also be two full days of dance workshops, several dance demonstrations and three dances over the weekend.

The festival will also feature two poets' breakfasts and several comedy acts as well as a children's festival.

Patrons will be able to join the festival choir, take part in several sessions each evening, perform at blackboard concerts and take advantage of 14 workshops on a wide variety of topics.

Season tickets for the entire weekend cost $45 and children under 16 are free if accompanied by a paying adult.

Season tickets purchased before September 30 are available at the early bird price of $35.

Separate day and evening tickets are available at the festival.

The festival commences at 7pm on Friday, October 22, and continues all weekend, day and night, until 6pm on Sunday, October 24.

Activities on the Saturday and Sunday commence from 9am.

For more information, a full program, details on performers and workshops, how to get there and where to buy tickets, see www.ccbdma.org or call 4342 9099 during business hours.

Cec Bucello, September 3