International Folk Dance Festival
Our 20th International Folk Dance Festival will be held in 2009, from July 18th to 25th.
Dunedin Dancers organises an International Folk Dance Festival every two years. Our last Festival was held in July 2007.
Each festival we invite three visiting groups representing different folk dance backgrounds. In July 2007 we welcomed groups from Austria, the Czech Republic and Lithuania.
Home base for the festival is in Edinburgh, with a variety of performances both in the City and outwith, at venues such as Falkland Palace and Stirling Castle. A theatre performance takes place at Church Hill Theatre. We also have a programme of social events open to all festival participants.
All our visitors are accommodated with hosts in and around Edinburgh. Hosting is an excellent way of participating in the festival, whether or not you can dance. It provides an opportunity to get to know foreign visitors and join in the social aspects of the festival. Normally only bed and breakfast is required with the hosts and one “getting to know you” evening meal. This leaflet gives more information about hosting.
Our visitors are provided with most of their meals at our base and volunteers are always required to help prepare and serve the meals, man the private bar and generally help with the day to day tasks which ensure the festival runs smoothly.
If you are a foreign folk dance group who would like to be invited to our festival, please note that we normally only invite groups that we have met at another folk dance festival, and that we decide which groups to invite about a year before each festival.