History

Yorkshire Folk Dance Weekend began in 2014, organised by Malcolm Storey and Judy Moody. They were already running a folk song weekend at Drax Social Club and it seemed like the perfect venue for a dance weekend as well.
The format has always been the same - daytime dance workshops and evening dances from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon on the first weekend in July.
Friday and Saturday in Drax Social Club and Sunday at Drax Village Hall. In 2023, problems booking the village hall prompted a move to Snaith School on Sunday along with a shift to the excellent carvery Sunday lunch at the Downe Arms in Snaith. This move is generally agreed to be an improvement and has continued since then.
Sadly, Malcolm passed away in January 2025 and from the 2025 event onwards, organisation was taken over by Philip Rowe and Meg Griffin.

Dates, callers and bands

  • 4-6 July 2014
    Callers: Madeleine Smith, Geoff Cubitt. Musicians: Philip & Fran, Rod&Frances Stradling
  • 3-5 July 2015
    Callers: Madeleine Smith, Geoff Cubitt. Musicians: Philip & Fran, Rod&Frances Stradling
  • 1-3 July 2016
    Callers: Lynne Render, Andrew Swaine. Musicians: Rod&Frances Stradling, Meg'n'Mor (Meg Griffin, Heather Bexon, Jane Harrison)
  • 7-9 July 2017
    Callers: Lynne Render, Trevor Monson. Musicians: Philip & Fran, Meg'n'Mor (Meg Griffin, Heather Bexon, Jane Harrison)
  • 6-8 July 2018
    Callers: Geoff Cubitt, Hilary Herbert. Musicians: Rod&Frances Stradling, Meg'n'Mor (Meg Griffin, Ali Messer, Jane Harrison)
  • 5-7 July 2019
    Callers: Geoff Cubitt, Hilary Herbert. Musicians: Rod&Frances Stradling, Philip & Fran
  • 2020 & 2021
    Several attempts were made to run an event during COVID lockdown, but unfortunately all had to be cancelled.
    1-3 July 2020, 2-4 July 2021, 15-17 Oct 2021
    Lineup was to have been: Callers: David&Kathryn Wright, Lynne Render. Musicians: Rod&Frances Stradling, Philip & Fran. Dave Yeomans was planned to substitute for Philip's non-availability for the Oct 21 event
  • 1-3 July 2022
    Callers: David&Kathryn Wright, Lynne Render. Musicians: Rod&Frances Stradling, FPD (Fran, Philip & Dave)
  • 7-9 July 2023
    Callers: Madeleine Smith, Liam Binley. Musicians: FPD, Rod&Frances Stradling
    New venue - Snaith School for Sunday
  • 5-7 July 2024
    Callers: Madeleine Smith, Liam Binley. Musicians: FPD, Rod&Frances Stradling
  • 4-6 July 2025
    Callers: Bernie Culkin, Geoff Cubitt. Musicians: FPD. Fran Philip & Dave provide 2 piece bands during the day in every possible permutation plus 3 piece bands for the evenings.