First of all, I’d like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2017 … and my, my … didn’t it start with a bang 🙂

When David and Louise first suggested a ceilidh (still total guess work on how to actually spell it) for NYE, having never actually been to a kay-leeeee before, Jon and I both thought it sounded like it could be a lot of fun … and boy were we right!

I personally can’t imagine spending NYE any other way now.

There is something extremely heartwarming about seeing that huge marquee dance floor (which actually wasn’t huge enough) full to the brim with eager dancers! The great thing about a ceilidh is, it’s a total leveller. No-one can use the excuse that they can’t dance … because you’re literally told what to do. Very simple steps and turns … holding hands with various strangers who by the end of the night become familiar smiling faces … how could you not have fun?! The music by Skiphire was uplighting …. the food and drink was flowing … spirits were high … a great end to 2016 and a brilliant start to 2017. Massive thanks to John, Mario, Andy and the caller, Richard who kept all us crazy dancers in check.

It was an honour to be able to perform with my lovely Jon (as Honey & The bear) to warm everyone up that night, but it was especially lovely once we had finished and we were able to enjoy the very amusing Stephen Bayfield with his unique, extremely Suffolk-y brand of wit! 🙂 (He does make me titter). After that, we enjoyed a wonderful set from The Max Hayfield quartet (who of course, don’t feature a man called Max Hayfield .. nor are they a quartet) but they had worked hard to prepare a fab amalgamation of Kev Walford and Kelly Pritchard songs with three part harmonies, and Kelly whipped out the bodhran, harmonica and piano to sing some Matt Bayfield (of The Broadside Boys) numbers. People were itching to get up and dance, so we already had a pretty full dance floor by the end of their set.

Well done to Louise, David and the Froize staff for making all that gorgeous food and potting up all those desserts! (It must have taken ruddy ages!) And that soup was just yum (i need the recipe). And well done to Jon, who worked his socks off all day to make sure the stage, lighting and sound all came together. We all thought that piping music through to the bar and restaurant was inspired … a great way of ensuring that no-one had to miss a single second of the action.

Our resident photographer/videographer extraordinaire, Tony Bell, has put together a little video of the evening …

It’s been lovely to receive feedback from so many of you about how much fun you had. I think the general consensus is that you hope we will do it again next year! All of us Froizians think that sounds like a jolly good idea … so watch this space … well, not this ACTual space … that would be very boring … but you know what I mean.

Tonight we are hosting the fabulous Moore Moss and Rutter in our very first Folk at the Froize of 2017, with support from a lovely, local lass, Meg Burrows. Bring it on 🙂