The Story of Epworth Music Day

Back in 2009, and encouraged by Keith and Joan Topham's experience that year in France, Peter Barnard and Kate Billmore decided to organise, with help from Keith, a day of outdoors music in Epworth on Sunday 21st June to mimic the event organised on the continent on that day. It was a free to attend event. Given that the continental model stayed on 21st June each year, it was inevitable that the event would fall on different days of the week each year. Accordingly, over the next few years few people attended other than a handful of performers, although numbers did gradually increase.

However, in 2014, 21st June landed on a Saturday, and suddenly lots of people were free and interested to attend. Overnight it became a much grander event. 

Buoyed by that success, Peter and Kate decided to keep the event on the nearest Saturday to 21st June. Epworth Music Day had been born – good and proper!

The original aim – it still holds good today – is that it is a free to attend event, that it is held outdoors, and that performers are not paid to perform. All genres of music are welcome. 

As musicians themselves, Peter and Kate wanted to attract people to hear live music; in settings different from pubs, clubs and other indoor venues. They also wanted to remove the barriers for accessing this music: having to buy a ticket; and having to pass through a door to enter a venue.

They also wanted to give local performers – especially those starting out – a platform to perform.

This has been hugely successful, and over the years they have been helped by a number of others who volunteer their time and skills. 

They have kept to the template of having music from 10am to 5pm in the streets of Epworth, organising some 10 or so outdoor venues where music would be played throughout the day. This means that if a spectator doesn’t like what they hear, they can pass on and will find more music – maybe of a different type – within a short distance. Epworth comes alive to the sound of so much music! 

This year over 60 sets of performers will be playing. None are asked to come nor are booked. Instead, Peter responds to requests to play. He never says no, and never vets anyone. He trusts that by asking to play, a performer will be good enough to hold an audience for a 40-minute set.

From 2014, there has also been an evening concert in St Andrew’s Church – all genres, not just religious. More recently, some of the pubs and restaurants in Epworth have asked to have their own evening entertainment as part of the day, and a ceilidh has been hosted by the Ridings Folk Group.

The event has become Epworth’s annual street party, and the more so since the roads were closed for the day. 

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It’s a great event, held in the community, by the community and for the community! Spread the word!