Summer Roots Festival….In Keevil?!

You may know the tiny village of Keevil, the name of which will never cease to remind me of Evel Knievel, for its airfield steeped in spitfire history, but there are some things in the village deeply rooted to the ground. One is a rather exclusive folk club regularly held in the village hall.…

It first came to my attention when the Lost Trades announced it as a date on their ambitious album tour, leading me to gulp, Keevil, you mean the Keevil, for like Christopher Lambert in Highlander, there can be only one? Yes, came their reply like a Facebook whisper, as if it was all as top secret as Area 51. A low key affair, I was told, hardly exploited on the social media sites I’m addicted to sourcing all known information from. And, if I’m honest, I’ve never had need to physically pass through there; for fear of treading on a Trowbridge patch, my milk-float turns around at Bulkington, which incidentally will never cease to remind me of the Lipps Inc disco classic, you know how it goes; “want to take you to, Bul-kin-town!”

However, away with such disco and American stuntman silliness, we did receive an email from Rachel Howe about next week’s Keevil Summer Roots Festival, which aside elucidating the folk nights were a, “small affair; only 76 allowed in our village hall with tables and chairs,” this event will be open to a larger audience, and it’s free during the day, other than a fiver to park.

So, from 3pm next Saturday, 17th June, the village welcomes their inaugural Summer Roots Festival, on the Barnfield Recreation Ground. Find afternoon activities and entertainment on the Recreation Ground, completely free to enter, with happenings catering for all ages including children’s activities, tug-of-war, crafting corners, artisan gift stalls, food van, ice cream, Festival Bar, “much more.”

That “much more” includes the Wilshire Police Band, so behave yourselves, and Forest of Dean acoustic duo Jan & Ian.

Then from half-past five, there’s an evening of live music in the village hall, and tickets are £15 from HERE.

Raymondo’s food truck, the Festival Bar and doors open at the village hall, ready for the music to start at 6pm. The tried and tested at their regular folk club musical haul includes Wiltshire based foot-stomping five-piece Stone’s Throw, with a Keevil-own drummer they will be playing classic rock and pop anthems. Grassroots folk singer songwriter Alan Hinds. Westbury’s easy-listening family duo MGB, Frome-based ukulele renditions of classical tunes marvels The Frukes, and Bath’s lounge jazz duo, Body & Soul, local acoustic eyeopener Ian Rayney, ragtime and music hall aficionado, Hilary Pavey.

Keevil may be one of the smallest villages in Wiltshire but, thanks to the tireless efforts of a group of volunteers, it seems they’ve packed a punch. Wishing they could do more with their Recreation Ground. They are excited to be bringing this festival-style celebration of local creative talent to the village, and we wish them all the best with it. So, put that in your pipe, Evel, who never did attempt the Grand Canyon jump!