Blackdown Hills Steel Band (www.blackdownsteel.org.uk) are a 10 – 15 piece band formed in 1999 to bring the sound of the Caribbean to Somerset and Devon. They have played a number of fetes and carnivals locally and will return to Bampton Fair to again contribute to the varied programme in the music tent in Brook Street.
Stripey Howling Hancock is a regular visitor to the Fair. He is based in Exeter and is an accomplished guitarist and blues player. He will be returning to Bampton following a tour of Poland, Spain, and Switzerland this summer
Jan’s Van will once again be operating in the town providing activities and fun things to do for the younger visitors. Face painting, balloon modeling, dragon dancing and drawing graffiti on her van are all very popular.
Pink Froot
Pink Froot (www.myspace.com/pinkfroot) are an established band from Bath made up of experienced musicians with Exmoor contacts. With their new singer Esther they deliver "evocative songs, poetry of desire, innocence, love, death and obsession, chosen for their powerful lyrics and haunting melodies, taken from the genres of traditional and contemporary folk, jazz and blues or written from the heart, forged on the anvil that is Pink Froot."
Rattlebox Theatre (www.fabulist.co.uk) with David Oliver. The Exeter based story teller who brought us Rastus the Rat last year, will be contributing again this year by providing top quality street theatre and story telling.
Bampton Players will be performing a ‘Mummers Play’ at different areas around the town. Expect drama, suspense and intrigue!
The West Country Concertina Players (www.wccp.info) are represented by Ruishton Band, a group of West Country musicians who will also be performing on the town stage and entertaining residents at the town’s retirement home during the day. The Club was formed in 1983 and includes musicians from all over the UK and abroad. They regularly play at the Sidmouth and Weymouth Folk Festivals. Ruishton Band has been playing together for the last three years and always enjoys playing at Bampton Fair.
Richard Huish College (www.richuish.ac.uk)
Music students from the college will play two sets in their own right and supplement the musicians on the town stage with singer/guitarists performing during the change overs.Top music students from the college will be performing - terrific talent not to be missed.
Pennymoor Singaround will again be involved and will perform in the White Horse over lunch and in The Bridge in the evening. They then lead the music for After the Fair on Friday and over the weekend with Morris dancers, Irish bands and groups from Brittany all joining in the revelry and filling the town with music all weekend in a major free folk festival.
The Original Punch & Judy Show, taught by the late Prof Guy Higgins, who performed on Weymouth beach for 30 years. They have performed at Weston-Super-Mare for the last 3 years and at Brean Leisure Centre last year. They were on HTV last August with John Nettles in his series "John Nettles Applauds". They have also appeared at Warwick Festival this year and at Thomas the Tank days at the East Somerset Railway.
Ozzy D, - a children's entertainer, magician and juggler. He also does puppetry, balloon modelling, close-up magic, and anything else fun!
He comes to the Fair courtesy of Bampton Library Service, and will perform until 12 noon in Newton Square.
Chucklefoot, - a highly entertaining one man band from Cornwall a vast variety of instruments (inclucing a teapot!) and loads of different styles of music. Enjoy!
Musica Sine Nomine, - a visiting choir of 16 members from Berkshire who can sing a wide repertoire from classical to barbers shop.