THE longest-running music festival in Oxfordshire has today announced the line-up for its 41st instalment.

Cropredy Festival was set up and is still run by the folk-rock band Fairport Convention who are still based close to the site near Banbury.

The event was cancelled for the past two years but will return next August with an eclectic line-up of acts from the world’’s of pop, rock and folk music.

Oxford Mail:

Richard Thompson

While Fairport Convention will close the festival with their traditional Saturday set, the event will also feature former Fairport member Richard Thompson – widely acknowledged as one of the best guitarists in the world, folk-fiddle player Seth Lakeman, Irish folk band Clannad and The Trevor Horn Band – fronted by the producer who made stars of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, Pet Shop Boys, Seal and Robbie Williams.

The festival, now officially known as Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, runs from 11-13. Other artists lined-up include indie acoustic band Turin Brakes, Genesis star Steve Hackett, Irish folk icon Sharon Shannon and her quartet, veteran Americana act Matthews Southern Comfort, bluegrass act Thumping Tommys, singer-songwriter Maddie Morris (winner of the 2019 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award), Australian singer-songwriter Emily Barker, John Tams and John Kirkpatrick’s folk-rock band Home Service, Welsh artist Martyn Joseph, rootsy psychedelia band The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Geordie rock-soul band Holy Moly & The Crackers, comedy folk and parody band The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, singer-songwriter Rosalie Cunningham, and folk-reggae act Edward II,

Oxford Mail: Trevor Horn Band

Trevor Horn

Festival director Gareth Williams said: “This is one of our best-ever line-ups and we are delighted that Seth Lakeman completes the roster. Variety is the key this year and there really is something for most musical tastes.

“The majority of the line-up was in place back in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit us. We are very fortunate that virtually all the artists agreed to stick with us after we had to postpone then and again in 2021. Among the highlights for next year are the Trevor Horn Band, Steve Hackett’s Genesis Revisited, and Clannad plus a further 15 acts and, of course, Fairport themselves.

“Although Fairport’s calendar is jam packed with gigs in the coming year, their greatest commitment is always Cropredy. This year is no exception and Fairport will be celebrating their classic LP Full House during their Saturday night set. The original line-up will play the whole of Full House in album order.”

The festival has been awarded a further £120,000 in the third round of the Government’s Cultural Relief Fund programme. Mr Williams said: “Postponing Cropredy for a second year really strained our resources and those of our suppliers. The funding we received was invaluable in keeping the festival office open and supporting the businesses we need to be there for us next August. In fact, Without the funding I’m not sure we could have survived. But now we can look forward with renewed confidence to welcoming our audience and suppliers back to the field next summer.”

  • Tickets are on sale from fairportconvention.com/cropredy