Martin Harley has been making music and touring the world for over two decades. His sound has never been more down to earth. Exploring roots, blues and slide guitar in a style The Guardian referred to as ‘Spellbinding’

Wildlife ecologist and the Radnorshire county recorder for invertebrates Phil Ward reveals the unseen world of freshwater beings.

Three unique musical voices unite to deliver a powerful yet intimate blend of Appalachian old-time songs and tunes, alongside a collection of beautifully crafted soulful originals.

Presenting songs from their acclaimed album, which is an exploration of the rugged landscape of Mid Wales and the Marches. They will be joined by skilled landscape artist Erin Hughes, providing a captivating live visual show to accompany the quartet’s performance.

Delving into the history and practices of droving, Mark will identify the legacy that is still with us and explore the routes used by Welsh drovers to reach lucrative English markets. 

Y Llyn is a 60 minute storytelling, dance and music performance inspired by the legend of Llyn y Fan Fach, told in both Welsh AND English at the same time.

Come along to a Retro Dance Evening at the Assembly Rooms, your favourite party music from through the years on the Mid Border Arts dance floor.

We're getting the Assembly Rooms dance floor out for a pre-Christmas knees up with the rowdy swing sounds of The Gin Bowlers.

Ranju will present an overview of his most recent book ‘Yoga as Pilgrimage’. There will also be a Q&A session and a yoga session before the talk for a limited number of attendees.

In Leoncavallo’s legendary operatic thriller ‘Pagliacci’, or ‘Clowns’, the leader of a touring troupe of comedy actors, discovers his wife is having an affair. Before he finds out who it is, he must go on stage in the role of a despairing husband with a cheating wife.

Guy Davis is a two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, a musician, actor, author, and songwriter. Guy uses a blend of Roots, Blues, Folk, Rock, Rap, Spoken Word, and World Music to comment on, and address the frustrations of social injustice, touching on historical events, and common life struggles.

Equally at home on guitar, banjo, mandolin, singing three part harmony or unaccompanied, he has carved out a place for himself as a unique voice in American music. An insightful and poetic wordsmith and songwriter, a subtle and accomplished roots multi-instrumentalist and a captivating singer.

Promoted by RADMAD

London Afrobeat Collective are a tight-knit family of musicians from around the world, living in London and united by a love of afrobeat and a desire to take original music to new places.

Supported by Ffredi Blino and Iris Rei.

With Ahmed Mukhtar, oud, Ruba Hillawi, oud, Sonia Hammond, cello, Camilla Saunders piano

Peter Knight’s Gigspanner Trio have established their reputation as one of the most genuinely ground-breaking forces on the British folk scene.

Edinburgh Fringe Smash Hit. Wright tries to celebrate but ends up taking a deep dive into himself and the England that raised him. New poems on class, love and adoption.

British-Congolese (DRC) singer and multi-instrumentalist creating her own brand of Afro-soul-folk.

Presteigne residents Alex Valentine and Dave Luke, delivering original songs and classy interpretations in the country-folk genre. WIth support from Jakey Boy Hughes and Jessica Rising

Francesca talks to Jo King about her first book PINCH ME: Trying to Feel Real in the 21st Century

Andy is a Bristol based, alt-folk musician his poetic and highly visual lyrics and warm unaffected voice are accompanied by Bill Frampton on bass and Pete Warner on drums. Supported by Presteigne’s own Iris Rei.

With a lifetime of performing and an undying love of the ‘pure song’ Keith James gives you a concert of Cohen’s amazing material in the most intimate and sensitive way.

The Velvet Violin is back with music from Little Rumba, La Gringa Negra plus another pop quiz.

Anthropologist Stephen Hugh Jones presents his talk - “The Spirit with no anus and the pots that fart. Adventures in the mythology of the Colombian Amazon and why this is of relevance to ourselves.” Probably not one to miss!

The Will Barnes Quartet, in collaboration with skilled landscape artist Erin Hughes, are proud to present their debut album, ‘Source of the Severn’. Will Barnes (guitar) is joined by James Batten (drums), Jack Gonsalez (piano) and Clovis Phillips (bass) - a tight collective of highly experienced jazz instrumentalists.

Presteigne residents Alex Valentine and Dave Luke, delivering original songs and classy interpretations in the country-folk genre.  On this occasion their soaring harmonies presented on a bed of string instruments will be augmented by local maestro John Hymas

One of Europe’s most authentic and spirited blues and jazz piano players “The soul of New Orleans in the UK” Dom Pipkin is at the forefront of musicians keeping the classic New Orleans sound alive. His world-travelled band The Ikos have taken New Orleans funk and blues and created from it their own unique sound and songs.

Lodestar Trio is a unique collaboration between stars of the Scandinavian folk scene Erik Rydvall and Olav Mjelva, and British violin virtuoso Max Baillie. Together they bring a spirit of groove and improvisation into Baroque music by combining traditional nordic string instruments— the Swedish nyckelharpa and the Norwegian hardanger fiddle— with the violin.

Mike Parker talks about his book All the Wide Border.

Mike records a funny, warm and timely meditation on identity and belonging, following the scenic route along the England–Wales border: Britain’s deepest faultline. His journey is divided into three legs corresponding with the watersheds of the three great border rivers: the Dee in the north, the Severn in the centre, the Wye in the south.

Award winning singer, songwriter, performer, author, producer and member of Oklahoma's Music Hall Of Fame, Gail Davies will be performing with her trio in Presteigne on Saturday November 18th as part of a short tour of the UK.

Jim Ghedi and Toby Hay are a duo project between two finger style guitarists, coming together to blend influences and different styles of playing to create a unique sound for guitar based folk music. Their self titled album is out on Topic Records and is their second collaboration after 2018’s The Hawksworth Grove Sessions.