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IVFDF stands for 'Inter Varsity Folk Dance Festival' it is an exciting and dynamic festival held at a different university each year. IVFDF has been running since 1951 and is the country's longest continually running folk festival. The tour so far spans over 20 locations as far apart as Exeter in the south and Aberdeen in the north. You don't have to be a student to go, just vaguely young or energetic. The Festival is particularly aimed at students, but it is open to everyone and caters for a wide range of ages and interests with numerous ceilidhs and workshops covering a wide range of dance styles - Scottish Country, Highland, Morris, Rapper Sword, Irish, and Playford are typical examples, with plenty of more exotic workshops varying from year to year.
The keyword is FESTIVAL: basically, hundreds of people attending for three days and two nights of intense dancing, playing music and singing, until they are unbelievably exhausted; A non-stop weekend of music and dance from the British Isles and beyond - there is the option of sleep for those who can bear to miss something.
In general the answer is anyone with an interest in lively, young, energetic folk music and dance. Because the festival is aimed in particular at universities it is attended by large numbers of students, ex-students and staff from all around the country - although in some cases ex-student means 30 years or so. But just because it is aimed at students does not mean that we limit who can attend. Anyone who is willing to enjoy and participate is welcome.
If you would like to find out more details on participating organisations can be found on their individual web sites or a full list of members who attended the last reps meeting can be found at the start of the minutes for each IVFDF Representatives meeting.
This site contains prolific quantities of information about the festival including a complete history, photos and details of the constitution however if that is not enough for you there is also a mailing list available that you can join and an archive of postings to the mailing list is available on the site.
The next IVFDF 2014 will be held on 28th Feb - 2rd of March in Edinburgh. The line up of artists is currently available on the festival website [1]], with more information and ticket booking available shortly.
Last year (IVFDF 2013 Sheffield) we tried a new mobile application that acted like a mobile version of the printed program only it kept up to date with the changes that happened during the festival. Given it's success we will be using it again in 2014 at Edinburgh, so if you did not try it in 2013 please try it for the next IVFDF.
We collected quite a bit of feedback about the application and will be making a number of improvements based on the feedback as we get closer to IVFDF 2013
The application is available for both iPhone and Android and can be downloaded from the appropriate store or the links below.
A sneak preview interview recorded at IVFDF Bristol which will be part of our audio documentary is now available to download.
The new IVFDF forum is now live. The forum is a place to discuss IVFDF's past, and up coming IVDFD's. The forum also provides a place to discuss getting to IVFDF, and arranging lift shares and transport.
