City of York Folk Day takes place on May 31 - a "day-long feast for all local folk and acoustic musicians, singers and listeners" at the Black Swan Inn in Peasholme Green, York.

Running from noon to 11pm, the free event features a rolling folk club of groups and soloists from the Black Swan Folk Club, the First Hussar and other clubs playing upstairs.

Downstairs, players from the Maltings and Golden Fleece and other local folk gatherings will be playing English, Scottish, Irish and old-time songs, while a "Singaround" is open to all. Outside, the Black Swan Rapper dancers will be dancing in the beer garden at 1.30pm, followed by Ebor Morris and Acorn Morris in the evening.

The folk day forms part of this month's York Live Music Festival and is being run by Black Swan Folk Club promoter Roland Walls.

"I stress that although I'm organising it and it is at the Black Swan, it is NOT only a Black Swan Folk Club event," he says. "There has been input from all the various clubs, sessions and dance sides in York."

Admission is on the door only.

- BACK on normal Black Swan Folk Club terrain, the club meets next on Thursday when William Pint and Felicia Dale set their course for uncharted waters with a cargo of nautical music.

Dale is the daughter of a Puget Sound sea captain and a French immigrant; Pint was brought up in Wisconsin, as far away from the sea as a boy could be, but he always dreamed of the salty tang of the ocean. Now they make their home in the Pacific North West of the USA, flanked by the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other.

Employing vocals, guitar, mandola, whistles, percussion and hurdy-gurdy, the Seattle duo performs traditional and modern tunes and songs about those who live and work on the sea.

There are songs of courage, sailors' ditties, voyages of discovery and the strange tale of the Lady Washington, sunk by a train: their music is rich with the myth, narrative, rhythm and rhyme of the days of the tall ships.

"William and Felicia have visited the Black Swan several times," says Roland Walls. "They have proved superb musicians and it's a real pleasure to welcome them back."

Doors open at 8pm, admission is £5.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, May 30, 2003