How to organize a folk music and barn dance evening?

You have had a very hectic week and work pressure was really high…you really feel the need to calm down and have some wholesome entertainment to ease you off the pressure. So as you plan to have a relaxed weekend you also realize there are many other friends and colleagues who would also like to have a relaxed enriching evening so you decide to organize a barn dance with some traditional folk music. What would be the things to keep in mind? What would you need to pay attention to and which band to choose? These may be questions popping up in your mind. Firstly you would need to choose a venue, it could be in your home if you have enough space or you may arrange it at a hotel or school hall or any such venue.

Next you will need to choose a band which is a daunting task as these bands are very diverse. Most of these bands have three to six musicians and a music instructor and play mostly English folk tunes but it would also include Irish, Scottish and European folk tunes. Some of these bands play large acoustic instruments, some have an electric rhythm section and some drums.

The most commonly used instruments are fiddle, accordion, concertina, whistles, guitar, drums, melodeon and bass. Bands would also offer to play the keyboard, saxophone, trumpet, flute, viola etc depending on the kind of music desired. The cost of the band would depend the band size, the distance travelled, time factor, the location and several other factors. A barn dance generally lasts between two to four hours. You can also plan a barn dance along with other entertainments like a disco or pop band and you may informally inform the band so that the event would be planned accordingly. A barn dance with folk music will lighten your evening and make everyone relax, just try it out.