WA Folk Music and Dance Calendar

28th April
— Merriwa Acoustic Music Club (usually monthly 4th Tuesday)
Merriwa Acoustic Music Club (MAMC) is normally held every 4th Tuesday of each month at Jenolan Way Community Centre in Merriwa (very near the end of the highway north with lots of safe parking). MAMC has a simple ‘sing around’ format with each participant getting to preform two songs (or whatever it is you do… poem, dance, etc.) each cycle through the group. Everyone from complete beginners to accomplished performers are welcome. All types of instruments are also welcomed as is almost any style of music (bluegrass, folk, pop, rock, and more). We additionally have a featured club member lead the group in trying out and learning a new song together each month. MAMC has a purpose for fun, learning, encouragement, and in it’s small way – community service. If you would like to know more write: Oakyfolky@msn.com.
Also… just a reminder that our “Song Writing Workshop” will be Saturday 6 July from 1 PM until 5 PM. Mark your calendars. It will be very affordable for club members. More details will soon follow.
The second news is that we will have a harmony and singing workshop on Tuesday 7 April with Winter Wilson, a songwriting and performing duo, who are on tour from the UK. Kip and Dave know their stuff, are well-known on the festival circuit in the UK, have a number of critically acclaimed CDs, and have been performing around Australia for the last number of weeks. The information about the workshop is on the flyer below. Winter Wilson will also be playing a special concert at Wanneroo Folk Club in Warwick on Friday 10 April, so you’ll get a chance to meet Dave and Kip, learn a bit about improving your singing from them, and then hear them perform at Wanneroo Folk Club. They were really awesome at Nannup Folk Festival this February…

29th April (every Wednesady)
— The Black Chooks .
Come and play music with The Black Chooks A World Music Group We are a fun group who meet weekly to play traditional and modern “World” Music together. We play a variety of acoustic instruments e.g.: Accordion, Bass, Drums, Flute, Guitar, Hammered-Dulcimer, Mandolin, Recorder, Ukulele- Banjo, and Violin.
We meet on: Wednesday Evenings Time: 7:00 to 9:00 pm At Falls Farm, Cagney Way, Lesmurdie
Contact Mike: 0438 718 091 theblackchooks@gmail.com Please join us or book us for community events. The Black Chooks are an initiative of Zig Zag Community Arts Inc

Friday 1st May
— Hills Folk Club.(1st Friday)
The Hills Folk Club is delighted to welcome The Jarrah Celts to Falls Farm on Friday 1st May for their first performance with us, although they are not strangers to the Kalamunda Performing Arts Theatre or to Toodyay Moondyne Joe Festival. Better still, Jarrah Celts is a collection of Australian Celtic musicians from the Jarrah forests of Roleystone, so they will fit well with our Club. Four members of this lively band with Chris Horgan on Flute, his 18 year old son Jacob on Irish Bouzouki, Jane Slater on Fiddle and John Perry on Double Bass will get your feet tapping.
To round out the first half of the programme, a valued supporter of our Club, John Ralph (mandolin & guitar) and his son Joe (guitar) will entertain you with traditional songs & tunes. John & Joe regularly play together throughout Perth and have appeared at both Bunbury & Albany Folk and Shanty Festivals, Gidgestock Music Festival as well as Perth Folk Clubs. In March they both performed in the Perth Fringe Festival in Phil Gray’s presentation ‘When Bailey’s Star Gleamed White’. Named ‘Duality’, John & Joe make a contemporary sound but with roots firmly in the traditional songs and tunes from England, Ireland and Scotland.
Murph will also sing a couple of his traditional songs (usually Lancashire, but not restricted to). Our final act will be another strong supporter of our Club, Jim McGuire, who will join us before he heads for some more overseas engagements. Jim is a fine tenor & is popular in our Club for singing a wide variety of Irish, Scottish & English songs and in particular for his regular performances with Numguts Bush Band, Maggies Delight & Jim Jam.
Hills Folk Club is held at Falls Farm Cottage on Neil Tonkin Park, Cagney Way, Lesmurdie at 8pm. Entry $10. Tea, coffee, milo & biscuits included at interval. Contact Pauline Tonkin 0408 092 553 or paulinekevin@bigpond.com or Peter ‘Murph’ Murphy at murf2murf4@gmail.com

— WA Bush Poets & Yarnspinners Monthly Muster.
7 pm, TBC
The Auditorium, Swan Care Bentley Park, 26 Plantation Drive, Bentley WA
Contact: Bill Gordon billgordon1948@gmail.com Mob: 0428 651 098

8th May
— Wanneroo Folk Club In Warwick– 40 years in the making
Come one come all and have a fun ball
Guitars and voices and other such things
And an audience that joins in to sing
We know not who will front the crowd,
some will be delicate some will be loud…
Yes folks May will be a Come-all-Ye. (AKA a Blackboard concert). Normal rules apply, 3 songs depending on performer numbers, Performers must register your name on the sheet. We have had a few forget to put their names down and it is not always possible to fit them in.
Small print: Audience is welcome & is encouraged to join in the choruses. There will be no PA or amps so performers be prepared.
more info at wfc@wafolk.org.au or www.wafolk.org.au
Doors open 7 pm for a 7:30 start (please be patient if the door is closed before 7pm while we set up the room, PA & lights)

9th May
— Bal Folk Perth.
Guildford Town Hall
Dearest Gentle Dancers, Bal Folk Perth and Perth International Dance cordially invite you to the second-ever Bridgerton* Ball! Back by popular demand, the event of the season will be held at the Guildford Town Hall, at the heart of Perth’s most historic centres and home to the medieval fair each year.
Doors will open at 6:30pm, a prime time for photos to be taken in your fabulous attire. This year, we are honouring the latest season of the show with a Masquerade Ball – so come in your best historically inspired disguise, with all to be revealed just before the night comes to its thrilling conclusion at 10pm. Live music, played by our fabulous band of volunteers, will accompany your traditional dance lessons, beginning at 7pm sharp. No partner or prior experience is necessary, as our events highly encourage beginners learning in the middle of the ballroom, no sneaking off to a private gazebo required!
Light refreshments will be provided, but the event is alcohol and smoke/vape-free. We wouldn’t want any of the ton to miss out, so get your tickets now! https://events.humanitix.com/the-bridgerton-ball-2026
While dance experience is not at all necessary, if you would like to sharpen up your dance skills, we have a few bals coming up where we will be teaching all the dances that we will be doing on the night. These events are held in Chidlow on the 25th April, and in Freo on 4th April. Check out our FB and Instagram pages for more info!

10th & 24th May
–Matilda’s music.(2nd and 4th Sunday)
Matilda’s provides an open-mic venue for community musicians to perform in front of an audience. The vibe is very casual and supportive
We meet in the Hollywood and Subiaco Bowling Club, 42 Smyth Road Nedlands, from 2 until 5pm on the second and fourth Sundays of each month and usually attract between 20 and 40 people, of whom 10 to 12 are performers
New players and listeners are always welcome and the players register is open from 1.45 while we’re setting up. $5 entry
Every Wednesday there’s an informal jam session from 4 to 6pm for anyone who wants to turn up and make music. No entry fee
Enquiries to David: davidjbt@gmail.com

15th May
— Swan Acoustic.(3rd Friday of the month)
The next normal Club night will be May 15th at The Swan Bowling Club in Attfield St Guildford.
3rd Friday of the month doors open 7-10 pm
This is a licensed premise so under 18 must have a parent or guardian present.
contact: phone Yvonne – 0417 887 835 or Phil – 0404 629 125

17th May — Greenbushes Acoustic.(3rd Sunday) TBC
RSL Hall in Greenbushes 1:30 and 3:30pm
Greenbushes Acoustic is a mental health support group with an acoustic music focus in Greenbushes. The main aim is to bring people together to play, sing and listen to live acoustic music, build relationships and community, as well as skills. The inclusive Support Group is open to people of all ages, skills, and abilities. We provide a creative and mutual learning space to foster mental health maintenance and recovery. Greenbushes Acoustic started as Greenbushes Folk Club in September 2020 for an acoustic music picnic that has become a monthly event, now held regularly on the third Sunday of each month. Everyone is invited to our free events. Please bring your own picnic and chairs, as well as your family, friends and neighbours. Your donation is welcome.
Lee on 0491 009 134 or Irma on 0466 640 455
email: hello@greenbushesacoustic.club
web: greenbushesacoustic.club

Saturday 23rd May 2026
— Mandurah Soiree.
The next Soiree will be Saturday 23rd May, usual starting time 2.30p.m., break at 3.30 for conversation and drinks etc, back again at 4.00p.m/then finishing “about”, 5.00pm, with the usual “Jam Session” for those who wish to continue for a while. No membership fees, no door charges, just an enjoyment of music is all that is required. It is probably timely to mention the aims and background to the Soiree idea. Started over 16 years ago by Iain Grassick and Tania, as a means of just having musical fun, it is a concept that Iain allowed my wife and I to pick up and carry on with, after he and Tania moved on from Mandurah. The Soiree has survived for a number of reasons: it is non-political, non-sectarian, non-religious, etc, in other words it is open to anyone with a general love of music, regardless, of race, colour, country of origin, or creed.
In the past few years, we have had performers from a number of overseas countries, all of whom have contributed to the general feeling of musical enjoyment.
If you wish to attend as a performer, or as a member of the audience, please bear in mind the sensitivities, backgrounds, and feelings of other performers, as this will contribute to the general feeling of harmony, (in more ways than one), which is the main object of the Soiree. As Bruce Woodley(Seekers) /Dobe Newton(Bushwackers), put it so eloquently in the first two lines of the chorus of “We are Australian”. “We are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on Earth we come”.
If you wish to attend, either as performer or as a member of the audience please let’s know by email as soon as possible, as we are limited by seating. (25 Max.) Email: ilo78333@bigpond.net.au

25th May
— Sunset Coast Shanty Crew .
the Pirate Bar, 25 Green Street, Mt Hawthorn
The Sunset Coast Shanty Crew meets on the 4th Monday of the month.
Format : Everybody who comes along will be given the opportunity to lead a song of their choice. You are not obliged to sing and the song does not have to be in our song book but must have a nautical theme.
Song Book : Link to the SCSC Song Book Drive
Please download the song book to your phone, this way the links in the PDF song book will work. Or you can email me back and I’ll send you a copy
Come along for a meal and a pint, with singing from 7:30 onwards until we run out of voice (usually a couple of hours)!
Website: www.LeeShoreSongs.com
FB @Sunset.Coast.Shanty.Crew
email: SunsetCoastShantyCrew@gmail.com

28th May
— Bunbury Folk Club. (4th Thursday)
Bunbury Mission To Seafarers. 7-9pm
Looking forward to seeing you all. Put your name on the blackboard to perform or just come along to listen and enjoy the atmosphere.

29th May
— Folk and Shanty Club. (Monthly, last Friday) TBC
Albany King River Hall 7pm-10pm
“The Albany Folk & Shanty Club” is hosted by “Amity Rogues ” on the last Friday of each month. Open mic night where you are invited to sing shanties, folk, traditional, recite poetry, play some tunes…and everything in between. Admission is $5/person, $10 per family, to help pay for the hire of the hall. BYO drinks and nibbles. Free hot drinks available. Family friendly

31st May
— Perth Scottish Fiddlers.(last Sunday) TBC
Formed in 2009 to give musicians the opportunity to learn and play the rich and extensive fiddle music of Scotland. We meet on the last Sunday of the month, 1.30 – 4.00pm at St Andrews Church hall, 259 Barker Road, Subiaco. All string players welcome. perthscottishfiddlers@gmail.com, www.perthscottishfiddlers.com.au

WEST AUSTRALIAN FOLK FEDERATION INC.