HiJinx ceilidh barn dance band wedding folk music Wales powys shropshire newtown welshpool shrewsbury UK Hijinks

What is a ceilidh and why have one ...
Ceilidh dancing is ideal for all sorts of social occasions. It gets everyone mixing together, even if they’ve never done this sort of dancing before and don’t know the other people. It's fun for all ages, from small children right through to grannies and grandpas. We provide an experienced dance caller, to ensure that everyone gets involved and has a good time.

See a video of a HiJinx wedding ceilidh in action on the music clips page.

How much is the band
As a guide:
A concert performance not requiring amplification starts at £95.
Ceilidh dances start at £295 including PA equipment and dance caller.
Wedding ceilidhs start at £350 (they require much more time and effort).
The distance we travel from home (Newtown/Llanidloes, Powys) will affect the cost.
Please contact us regarding charity events. During quiet periods we may offer generous discounts for good causes.

Practical tips on holding a public event:

Making a great night.
Obviously you want to get a good crowd. One way to do this is to make it more of a night out, by including some food, such as a ploughman's supper, which isn't too much trouble if a few people chip in to help. Then you can have a bit of dancing, a break for food and socialising, then more dancing - twice the fun!
In the venue, create a nice ambience. Those horrible fluorescents really don't get people in the mood. Coloured lighting; fairy lights; a few flower arrangements; paper chains - children love decorating halls! Most village halls have coloured stage lighting - worth making use of.

Running a bar is a good fundraiser and makes things more sociable too. Nothing fancy is required - the village hall hatch will do - include soft drinks for younger revellers. Be sure that your licence covers a bar. Another useful fundraiser is a raffle - they add to the fun and it's not uncommon for them to make enough money to pay the band!

Entertainment licence.
Your venue, a village hall for instance, will need an entertainment licence. It may already have a general licence which includes live music, but if not your County Council licensing officer can issue a music specific licence. The maximum number of seated/standing bodies allowed in the hall will be specified for safety reasons.
The licence can make stipulations as the authority sees fit. They may require, for instance, that the entertainer has public liability insurance (HiJinx have £5 million cover) and that the band's equipment is PAT electrical safety testeed (HiJinx's equipment is).
NB The Licensing Act is currently under reform. Imminent removal of the requirement for a license is likely (hooray!)

Publicity
Publicity is the key to a great event. A press release to the local papers is free. Local arts and events magazines will usually offer free event listing too. Posters up 3 weeks in advance, on noticeboards/shop-windows/library/village hall; local information web-sites; road-side T-boards and door to door delivery work well. Leave flyers in local shops/pubs/schools and circulate details by email.
But by far the best is enthusiastic word of mouth! Ask local groups, like the WI and coffee-mornings, to make an announcement. It's always more successful to sell tickets in advance. A small group of individuals each selling to family, friends and colleagues soon fills the hall.

Where to advertise
Here are three of many possible publications that list events for free. Mention event type (e.g. ceilidh with hog-roast); date & time; location & venue; cause (e.g. village playgroup).