Wellyfest 2025 has lots of opportunities for you to sing, dance and play along with others, or perform your music to a supportive audience.

Come and join in at the Ceilidh, festival choir, slow music sessions or the All comers or NZ/Aotearoa folk sessions. Or perform on stage at one of the two Blackboard concerts or spin a yarn at the Liars’ Lunch.

See the dance programme and workshop pages for more chances to take part in activities.

FRIDAY

Welcome Ceilidh, hosted by Vicfolk

Friday 8pm, Fletcher Hall

A true ceilidh (some dancing, some tunes, a song or story or two) – not just a dance. A great way to start the weekend and get in the festival mood with Vicfolk. Limited opportunities to take the lead…. Contact the VicFolk hosts if you have a traditional Ceilidh Offering.

SATURDAY

Janet’s Jam

Saturday 9:30am, Balladeer Tent 

If you are bursting to sit down and play and sing for an hour, then Janet’s Jam is where you should be. We start with some simple tunes, that will become more complex. All instruments welcome. All playing levels welcome. There will be a brief discussion on jam etiquette, and this year Janet will also offer tips on getting ready for live performance. Inclusive, informative, fun!

All Comers Singaround with Murray Kilpatrick

Saturday 10:30am Nelson Lounge

Murray will lead an open and inclusive singaround. Everyone invited, but not obliged, to take a turn with whatever style and instrumentation they choose. This is your opportunity to share your stuff with others in a supportive environment without the pressure of a stage or sound system. Murray runs the Pukerua Bay Folk Club and has encouraged many musicians to enjoy playing.

Festival Choir Workshop/Rehearsal 1

Saturday 11:45am, Fletcher Hall 

Come along and be part of the Festival Choir. The leaders will work with all comers to add harmony and fun to selected songs that you’ll learn in 2 workshops over the 2 days of the festival, in the Fletcher Hall on Saturday 11:45am and on Sunday 4:30pm. You then get to perform them on the Balladeer Stage to close the Sunday afternoon session.

(Workshop/rehearsal 2 will be held on Sunday 4:30pm in the Fletcher Hall, and the final performance on Sunday 6:00pm on the Balladeer Stage.)

The Tradition Bearers session: From Davy Lowston to Y2000 – hosted by Niels Gedge

Saturday 12:45, Nelson Lounge

A Come-All-Ye featuring the rich legacy of the NZ folk tradition. Expect to hear and share songs that touch on life here in Aotearoa during the 19th and 20th centuries. If you are currently writing songs about these times, this is the session for you. Please bring songs that evoke the places, landscapes, history, protest, yarns, legends and lies, idiom, and accents of Aotearoa.

All Comers Slow Session – with Vicfolk

Saturday 3:30pm, Nelson Lounge

The slow session workshop is for people who would like to get together to play Traditional Irish tunes (jigs, reels, polkas, etc) at a more relaxed pace than a “regular” Irish Trad session in a pub. We will be playing commonly-played Irish tunes, just not too fast. We play the same tune several times in a row, so even if you don’t know many tunes but can pick things up by ear you’ll have a good time. If you have been curious about what an Irish session is all about, and can play an instrument, bring it along and have a go.

Blackboard Concert 1

Saturday 4:30pm, Maire Hall

Put your name on the blackboard outside the venue before each concert. Just a few conventions:

• Two songs or tunes – maximum 10 minutes for each performance.
• Please be there on time, tuned up and ready to go.
• Keep introductions within the 10-minute time allowed – if your 3-minute song needs a 6-minute introduction you’re only going to have time for one song.

A second Blackboard concert will be held on Sunday 9:30am in the Maire Hall.

SUNDAY

Blackboard Concert 2

Sunday 9:30am, Maire Hall

Put your name on the blackboard outside the venue before each concert. Just a few conventions:

• Two songs or tunes – maximum 10 minutes for each performance.
• Please be there on time, tuned up, and ready to go.
• Keep introductions within the 10-minute time allowed – if your 3-minute song needs a 6-minute introduction you’re only going to have time for one song.

We want to give everyone a chance so if you’ve played at another blackboard concert, the host may ask you to give someone else a chance.

The Liars Lunch – hosted by Janette Wallace-Gedge

Sunday 12:30 to 2:00pm, Balladeer Tent

All comers spoken word–Poetry and storytelling.

25 years in: Kiwiana of this century – hosted by Niels Gedge

Sunday 3:45, Nelson Lounge  

This session will feature songs about the here and now in Aotearoa. If you have a song or three clearly located in contemporary New Zealand/Aotearoa, we want to hear it. Political protest, our way of life, landscapes, idiom and accents. Go for gold and perform them for us. Niels may also shoulder- tap the contemporary songwriters he knows for this session. If he doesn’t know you well, please feel free to shoulder tap him! Waiata especially welcome at either session.

Festival Choir – Workshop 2 – with Annie Stone

Sunday 4:30pm, Fletcher Hall

Second workshop, followed by:

The finale performance

Sunday 6pm, Balladeer Tent