Top 5: Manchester Folk Festival workshops inc. spoon carving & family songwriting

Manchester Folk Festival takes in gigs and workshops all over the city from Thursday 18 October to Sunday 21 October 2018. The festival hub is HOME Manchester, but there are also events at Gorilla, The Ritz and Great Northern Warehouse and The Burgess Foundation. There are more than 50 events to choose from, with music a massive part of proceedings. However we particularly like the look of the workshop programmes which includes singing, songwriting and crafts. Our favourites are  a traditional pub ‘Singaround’ (Sun 21 Oct, The Britons Protection, noon, free, read more) – simply turn up, grab a drink and join in – or just listen. There’s also a ‘sacred harp’ American-style singing workshop at Home (Sat 20 Oct, 10.30am, £6, book here), a family songwriting workshop (Sat 20 Oct, Home, 3.30pm, £6, book here), not one but three spoon carving workshops (pictured, Sat 20 & Sun 21 Oct , The Burgess Foundation, Sat 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sun  10.30am , £37, book here), a macrame plant hanger session (Sat 20 Oct, The Burgess Foundation, 10am, £37, book here) – and a whole lot more.

Thu 18 – Sun 21 Oct, various venues, times and prices, www.manchesterfolkfestival.org.uk