A CROWD of talented young singers, dancers and musicians will be congregating later this month for the popular Hexham Gathering.

Priding itself on being one of the UK premiere events when it comes to offering a performance platform for young folk and traditional music talent, the five-day festival will see hundreds of performers coming together in Hexham to provide a tuneful kaleidoscope of music and spectacle throughout the town centre and a variety of other venues across Tynedale.

For 2011, the event, which runs from May 25 to 29, will include all the usual (and much-loved) ceilidhs, sessions and concerts (both outdoor and indoor) as well as its signature and unique pairings between top folk and traditional performers and some of the brightest rising stars and school youth groups from the area.

Organised by Folkworks of The Sage Gateshead in partnership with Hexham’s Queen’s Hall Arts, the line-up this year includes: The Alistair Anderson Band, Peter Tickell, Tim Dalling, Fay Hield Trio, Future Traditions, Tyde, Last Orders, ahab, Niamh Boadle, King Cole, Kat Davison, Sam Sweeney & Hannah James, Toble, Down in the Attic and many more.

May 25 will see final-year students from the traditional music degree course at Newcastle University perform a concert at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre while on May 27, children from schools across Northumberland will gather to share traditional playground songs and rhymes at the Abbey Gardens bandstand.

Tickets for events start from £6 (concessions from £4) and are available – together with a full programme – from the Queen’s Hall box office on 01434 652477 or the website www.queenshall.co.uk

Any young performers of traditional music, song or dance wishing to get involved and participate in this event should contact folkworks@thesagegateshead.org for more information.