Ceilidhs & Barn Dances in the UK.
Ceilidh is the term used by folkies to describe what most people in England would call a barn dance.
Some people prefer the term English Ceilidh (or EC for short) to distinguish it from the Irish or Scottish usage of the word which can carry a slightly different meaning.
Most major folk festivals will hold a ceilidh (often more than one) alongside the concerts.
See HERE for a list of the main festivals featuring EC style dances.
There are also a number of ceilidh and folk dance clubs around the country that hold regular ceilidhs.
The best way to find an event in your area is to use one of the following links:
- WebFeet
An excellent resource maintained by Martin Kiff. All the major and many smaller local events are listed and it is generally kept right up-to-date. The site also contains a list of bands and details of other related traditional dance events.
- folking.com
This is not as comprehensive a list, as event organisers have to submit their own information, but the site has a nice search interface, and also lists other folk events such as concerts and festivals.
A barn dance or a ceilidh is also an excellent way to celebrate a wedding, birthday party or anniversary.
This is because the dances are great fun, yet very simple and easy to learn. The whole family can join in, and because
all the dances are walked though first and called during the dance, no prior experience is necessary.
This type of event can also be used as a fund-raiser for charities or makes an excellent alternative theme for a company party.
A ceilidh band is likely to be more expensive than a disco, but it is excellent value for money as you'll be getting three or four live musicians plus a caller.
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