2025 is the 280th birthday of son of Southampton Charles Dibdin, as well as the 250th birthday of the town's most famous resident, Jane Austen. Austen hired a piano whilst she lived in Southampton on which to play the tunes of one of her favourite composers, Charles Dibdin.

A concert on the 5th June at St Michael's Church, Bugle Street, Southampton, SO14 2AD, celebrates Austen's Dibdin with a performance of his popular songs which Austen loved and sang, brought to life by talented local folk musician Jeff Henry.

Accompanying Jeff will be historian Nicola Pritchard-Pink who shares insights into Austen's song collection, revealing what performing Dibdin's lively show songs at home might have been like for this famous author.

The setting for this concert is the historic medieval church of St Michaels, the oldest building within the old town dating from 1070 and well-known for its musical output and concerts. Guides will be on hand to highlight the history of the church. Doors are open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start; tickets are £10 via www.wegottickets.com/sarahsiddonsfanclub where you can also find details of other events in Southamprton celebrating Jane Austen's life.

As one of Jane's characters, Emma, put it, "Without Music, Life would be a blank to me".

Note also that there is a concert at the Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, on the 19th June when pianist and historical interpreter Lisa Timbs and soprano Verity Joy, will take you back in time to the Regency era familiar to one of Britain’s national treasures. More details of this concert here.

Just outside our county borders, The Brick Kiln Garden Centre is again staging its 'Folk Live' concerts. No concerts listed just at the moment, but keep an eye on this page - www.brickkilngardencentre.co.uk/events/. The site gives all the necessary details for ticket purchase; tickets include a Festive cream Tea. Doors usually open at 3.00.

Also a little outside our borders, the Chichester Folk Song Club meets every Monday at the Chichester Inn in West Street. Usually once a month, it is a Guest Night; the March guest is Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne on the 10th; the April guest is yet to be announced. Remember there is an informal session at 7.45 until the club proper opens at 8.15. See their website www.chifolksongclub.co.uk/ for more information and to look at their "latest poster" for the diary of events.

We have moved many of the venues we have been including on this page to our Folk Clubs and Arts Centres dairy. We hope in future to include a few more venues in and around our area. This change is also reflected in our journal 'Solent Waves', as now we do not have limitations of numbers of pages and printing/distribution costs, we can make the diaries longer.

Loads of events at Halsway Manor - see their website for a timetable and to book https://halswaymanor.org.uk/; also lots of details on these and other events in the area on the SAD Folk website www.sadfolk.co.uk/listings.php

Lots of concerts etc. at Cecil Sharp House - click here to browse; for dance events look here and for workshops/classes/course, click here. There is now a link on the home page of the EFDSS website to events around the country which members have asked to be listed. Click here and scroll down to see everything.