DIY Ceilidh Bring Their Open-Inclusive Folk Dance Night to The Lubber Fiend

DIY Ceilidh return to The Lubber Fiend in Newcastle on Friday 25 September 2026 for another of their participatory folk-dance nights. The venue calendar lists the event at 5.30pm. This is not a sit-down concert with a fixed sequence of headline and support sets: the Newcastle collective invites people to dance, join the music and take part in a gathering where the audience can shape the evening as well as enjoy it.

The collective grew out of a group of North East folk musicians who wanted a regular social dancing event in Newcastle. It began in October 2022 and now runs a monthly ceilidh at The Lubber Fiend. Its mix of familiar ceilidh dances and less widely known European folk material gives the night a broader repertoire than a single-style folk concert, while the band and dance callers work together to keep the dancing moving. The collective uses gender-neutral calling, helping participants follow instructions without being assigned traditional gendered roles.

DIY Ceilidh aims to be welcoming to newcomers as well as experienced dancers. Its organisers say that guests can bring an instrument and join the band, teach a dance or contribute at the regular floor spots with a song, spoken-word piece or another performance. This matters when planning the night: taking part is encouraged but not restricted to people who already know a particular set of dances. Those who prefer to listen can still experience the live folk music and the atmosphere of a shared community event.

The organisers describe their monthly nights as pay-as-you-feel, with nobody turned away for lack of funds. The exact entry arrangements for 25 September should still be confirmed with the collective before travelling. The Lubber Fiend’s listing gives 5.30pm as the event time, but the collective has not provided a separate set-by-set running order on its programme page. For anyone thinking of joining the music, its official page also provides a route to get in touch about participating.

Find further updates through the official DIY Ceilidh booking or organiser page and check the venue’s event calendar before travelling. The Newcastle event is scheduled for Friday 25 September 2026; details may change after this preview was prepared.