FOLK music is in my blood. As a child in the 1970s and early 80s, and as the daughter of a well-known folk group, The Wilson Family – which then consisted of my mum, dad, auntie Pat and four of my dad’s brothers – we spent many summer holidays as a family travelling around the country to a variety of folk festivals.

Those were halcyon days – the summers always seemed to be long, hot and sunny and, as mum and dad pitched our tent (this was back in the days when we were all keen campers), my brother, Karl, and I would catch up with our friends, some of whom, such as Rachel and Becky Unthank, are now famous artists in their own right.

There wasn’t a care in the world; the folk community was tight-knit, we were well-known and all of my parents’ friends used to look out for us as we played with our Frisbees in the sunshine.

One event we attended was Malton Folk Festival. I know this to be the case because the pictures of us in 1978 and 1981 playing penny whistles – taken by Malton Folk Festival stalwart and family friend, the late Alistair Broughton – has been in the family album for the last 30-odd years and, as we peer out of the sepia prints, I know that they were indeed happy times.

“If my memory serves me correctly, I seem to remember that Malton Folk Festival in the 70s was quite low-key, but with lots of singarounds in pubs – I think one might have been the Green Man, or something like that – and there were Morris dancers in the Market Place,” remembers my mum, Nina Wilson.

“It had a nice, friendly feel with lots of Yorkshire folk and was very family-orientated.”

My dad, Tom, and uncle Chris Wilson recall that Malton was a bit of a cult festival for The Wilson Family, as it was there that they met the late, great Keith Marsden, of the group Cockersdale.

At this time, The Wilson Family were a fledgling harmony group little known outside of the North East, and Cockersdale hadn’t really performed anywhere in public.

Keith was to become a huge influence on the group, as well as a lifelong friend, and a mutual appreciation society blossomed.

“We met in the back yard of The Globe on a wonderfully sunny afternoon, in an al fresco singaround,” said my dad, Tom Wilson.

“I recall someone singing Bring Us A Barrel, which he introduced as a traditional song, and Keith pulling him up afterwards to gently inform him that he had written the song some three years before.

“We got chatting to Keith and realised how much we all had in common and, at the end of the weekend, we all agreed to meet up at Malton for subsequent festivals. It was a small, homely festival with very little ego about it.”

Malton Folk Festival was wrapped up in the early 80s, but now, thanks to a group of dedicated individuals, it is being revived this weekend.

Dave Garner is a keen guitarist whose life-long love of folk music has seen him host a specialist folk programme on hospital radio, and he also used to run Eastbourne Folk Festival in Sussex before he moved to Ryedale.

“I always thought it would be a good thing to do here, so I joined up with Nick Thompson, a master fiddle player who is heavily into the folk scene locally, and my wife, Rowena, who sings, and we decided to start Malton and Norton Folk Festival,” said Dave.

“I love all forms of folk music; I find it really gets under your skin. A lot of it is exciting, lively and it has got a meaning, with lots of stories being put to music.

“There’s lots of interest in folk music locally – there are various sessions held around Ryedale, so we want to make sure that people know about it.”

Although it has always had a place in the heart of a small group of fans, folk music has made a revival in recent years. It used to be seen as a bit of an underground movement, but many artists, such as Eliza Carthy, The Unthanks, Bellowhead and Lau, have found success in more mainstream arenas of late, which has seen the genre grow in popularity.

Malton and Norton Folk Festival is taking place on Friday and Saturday at venues throughout the towns, including The Union in Norton, Suddaby’s in Malton, and Hope Central, Malton, where there will also be events on Sunday, with Emily Slade.

The main festival features various musicians’ sessions, workshops and sing-a-rounds, and Morris teams will be dancing in the Market Place.

The two main events take place on Saturday, with a barn dance at St Peter’s Church Hall, Norton, featuring Pugwash Convention on Saturday afternoon, and a concert at Suddaby’s in Malton on Saturday night, featuring Pete Coe, Happy Cats and 2 Black Sheep and a Stallion.

Adult weekend tickets cost £28, and tickets are also available for individual events. Child and family tickets are also on offer.

For full details of all events and ticket prices, phone 01653 636338 or email mnff@live.co.uk